Barcelona target Arsenal star to replace out-going Brazilian international

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Barcelona are reportedly considering a move for Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin if Dani Alves leaves the club this summer.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Alves is edging closer to an exit from the Nou Camp this summer, with reports in Spain linking him with a switch to Juventus.

In the event that he does leave, the Catalan giants will have an important position to fill, and the search for a long-term replacement has taken them to the Emirates where Bellerin has enjoyed a stellar season for the Gunners.

Having previously come through the ranks at Barca in their youth academy, the Spaniard knows the club well but has gone on to get his opportunity at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger.

As a result, it remains to be seen whether or not a return to his former club would appeal to him at this stage as he appears set to be Arsenal’s first-choice right-back for years to come.

Wenger will be desperate to hold on to him, but as Mundo Deportivo reports, Bellerin has a good relationship with his former coach Francisco Javier Garcia Pimienta, and Barca believe that it could be key in persuading him to return.

As for Alves, the 33-year-old has been an integral part of Barcelona’s success since his arrival in 2008, as he has made well over 200 La Liga appearances for the club and won countless titles both in Spain and in Europe.

However, given his age, the club understand the requirement to identify a suitable replacement sooner rather than later, and while Alves may well suit Juve’s style and the tempo in Serie A, it will give him the opportunity to sign one last big contract in his career and play a fundamental role for a European giant.

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