Should Arsenal swap Bellerin for these two Barca players?

With transfer season soon approaching, the speculation in transfer rumours is only going to keep increasing. We’ve already seen a couple of Arsenal targets being linked with the club, but as for departures, of course the main focus has been on Alexis and Ozil. Another player who could find himself to be a wanted man this summer however, is Spaniard Hector Bellerin. Bellerin hasn’t had the best of seasons in comparison to his other Arsenal campaigns, but it certainly hasn’t put Barcelona off his tail.

Bellerin, a former member of the Barcelona academy team, has been supposedly tracked since he left the Spanish giants for London. Barca didn’t seem to keen on holding onto the player who was a winger back in Spain, but since his conversion to right back at Arsenal, the Spanish side have kept their eyes on him. There has supposedly been a bit of official interest from Barcelona to Arsenal, with the Gunners having been on the receiving end of talks in the past. But Arsenal have always remained firm that they no longer have to sell their best players and of course have no interest in letting Bellerin go.

This summer however, could be a little different. Arsenal have found themselves a new formation in which Alex Oxlade Chamberlain has proved to be very important in a wing back position. Chamberlain has replaced Bellerin in the starting eleven to the extent that he’s only managed a handful of minutes on the pitch since the transition, before starting in place of the injured Ox against Stoke. Bellerin proved vital in that game, but it remains unsure if he will fall back down the pecking order if Arsenal decide to stick with this new three at the back approach.

With Barcelona keeping tabs and still without a right back since Dani Alves’ departure, Arsenal will be bracing themselves to receive an official offer for Bellerin this summer. Media reports suggest that Arsenal will slap a £34 million price tag on the defender, but according to the same reports, that’s a figure Barcelona are unlikely to entertain.

As a result it’s being suggested that the Gunners will ask for two Barca players in exchange, in Turan and Cucurella.

Arda Turan is a well known talent, especially during his Atletico Madrid days. However he’s struggled for game time at Barcelona and quite frankly, I don’t think he’d bring much to the Emirates. We already have a fair few wingers and although none of them are exceptional except Alexis (who of course may be leaving), I don’t think there’s room for the ageing Turkish international.

I must admit I don’t know too much about Cucurella, but the 18 year old is apparently highly rated at Barcelona. He’s unable to get into the team ahead of Alba and Digne, but the club do value the left back and have little interest in letting him leave. Cucurella’s contract is however apparently up in the summer, and although Barcelona are desperately trying to agree to an extension, I don’t see why Arsenal would look to include the player if he’s soon going to be a free agent.

Personally from the two players mentioned, I think Arsenal would be getting ripped off in any deal for Bellerin. The club has no need to sell the right back and he is definitely going to be one of the top players in his trade in the future, so why would the Gunners consider selling for any price, let alone for the peanuts this report suggests have been offered.

AH