Catalan giants ready to make bid for Arsenal defender.
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Barcelona are lining up a bid for Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny according to Spanish newspaper Marca.
The La Liga Champions are preparing for life without Carlos Puyol as he enters the autumn of his career.
The club are keen to bring in a new centre back as his successor over the coming months in order to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.
Barcelona chiefs are reportedly keen that the Puyol’s replacement is able to fit in with the team’s passing style of football.
The club have been linked in recent months with the likes of Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels, PSG’s Thiago Silva and Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany.
But it appears that they have had no luck with any of their first choice targets which has paved the way for an approach for Koscielny.
Koscielny was part of a much maligned Arsenal backline last season which committed a number of high profile errors, costing the club vital points in the race for a Champions League spot. But the French defender did form a strong partnership with German centre-half Per Mertesacker in the latter stages of the season.
It is thought that Arsenal may be willing to do business should they receive a bid in excess of £12 million.