Rumors are out that Arsenal defender Hector Bellerín is attracting the interest of Spanish club Barcelona as the La Liga champions are preparing for a potential transfer of veteran right back Dani Alves to Serie A winners Juventus this summer.
Daily Mail Online indicated that the English Premier League side could be facing a "battle to hold on to Hector Bellerín this summer with Barcelona making the right back their top target to replace Dani Alves", who allegedly had already agreed to a two-year deal with the Turin residents.
Alves' agent, Dinorah Santana, was quick to deny the rumors that her client is on his way out of Camp Nou, though, saying that "it's true that Juventus have contacted me but there hasn't been any official offer from the Bianconeri."
Still, speculations of a potential Barça snatching of Bellerín from the Emirates Stadium has been circulating online.
The 21-year-old right back actually began his youth career with Barcelona's La Masia academy in 2003 when he was only eight years old before he moved to England with the Gunners in the summer of 2011. He went on to get promoted to Arsenal's first team in 2013 where made his first professional appearance in a 1-1 road game against West Bromwich Albion in the third round of the League Cup that September.
In three seasons with Arsene Wenger, the Barcelona native have appeared in a total of 81 games in all competitions and have netted three goals mainly playing in the Gunners' back field.
The young defender is said to be the Blaugrana's solution to the impending exit of the 33-year-old Alves, who had been a vital component of the club's defense since 2008. Rumors abound that Barça will not stop Alves from leaving as they are planning to replace him with a younger player anyway.
Meanwhile, Caught Offside reported that Bellerín is "happy to attract the interest of big clubs such as Barcelona", but said that he is "focused on the (Spain) national team", who is set to compete in the UEFA Euro 2016 this June.
"I am very misinformed about it, these are questions for my agent," Bellerín said, "but I am happy to attract the interest of such big clubs, that's always nice."
"I do not know very well what's happening at Barcelona. If Alves leaves they will need a new right-back, but there are a lot of good players around Europe," he added.
Bellerín further said that he was also "very happy" with the Gunners at the moment and right now he is keen to stay with them and only worry about Spain's campaign this summer.