Barcelona have reportedly placed Marco Verratti and Hector Bellerin at the top of their summer transfer shortlist, a double swoop which could cost up to £120m.
According to The Sun, the duo are the top two targets for the Catalan giants as they look to address two key areas of their squad where they are arguably still vulnerable in midfield and at right-back.
It won’t be cheap though, as The Express noted earlier this month that Verratti would fetch around £70m this summer, while Bellerin would command a fee of around €50m, as per ESPN FC.
Nevertheless, given their respective ages, qualities and how they would fit perfectly into the system at the Nou Camp, they could be crucial additions to ensure that the La Liga outfit remain in contention for multiple trophies in the coming years.
In contrast, it will be a major concern for Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, with both clubs desperate to keep hold of two influential figures in their current sides.
However, there is some relief for the Gunners as Marca claim that Barca may switch their focus to Valencia right-back Joao Cancelo, as Bellerin could be deemed too expensive.
The Portuguese international has a release clause of €30m as per the report, which would of course result in a decent saving of around €20-30m compared to the fee it would likely take to prise Bellerin away from north London.
Arsenal will undoubtedly make it as hard as possible for their European rivals to take back one of their youth products, and so Cancelo may well be the more sensible option for them.
Regardless though, the fact that Barca are interested and would prioritise Bellerin if a deal made sense will continue to be a major concern for Arsene Wenger or his successor depending on how the managerial situation at the Emirates plays out this summer.