Arsenal reportedly remain keen on Dani Alves but he prefers Barcelona return

Dani Alves is wanted by Arsenal but has told Barcelona he wants to re-join them, according to Spanish outlet Sport, via Sport Witness.

The report says that Arsenal had emerged as one of the most likely destinations for Alves and he worked under Unai Emery at Paris Saint-Germain.

But Alves has apparently called Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu to tell him he wants to come back to the Catalan club on a free transfer.

Emery could do with a new right back because Hector Bellerin’s injury means that he faces the very real prospect of starting the season with Carl Jenkinson playing there.

(FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)

But everyone knows by now that Arsenal don’t have a huge transfer budget to spend, so they don’t really want to be spending a fortune on a player who will likely become cover once Bellerin returns.

That’s what makes Alves an ideal option – as well as the fact he’s worked with Emery before and would bring a winning mentality to the Emirates – but the Gunners are now on the back foot.

Otherwise, Emery may need to dip into the loan market where he found Dani Ceballos once more to get some short-term cover on the right of his defence.