Arsenal round-up: Barcelona prioritising Hector Bellerin; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain set to stay; Sead Kolasinac signing imminent

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Newly appointed Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has given his blessing to the club’s chase for Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin. Sport report that the Spaniard considers the 22-year-old to possess the perfect profile to be a leading player in his position and Los Cules will now prioritise their chase of him. The La Liga club are eyeing two major signings and Bellerin could be one of those if the Gunners agree to his sale.

A year ago this would have been a disaster, but the Spanish international hasn’t progressed as well as would be expected during the past 12 months and ended the season on the bench. The change to 3-4-2-1 led to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain occupying the right wing-back role, which meant that Bellerin was only used sparingly. He has been considered one of the best young full-backs in the world, but he isn’t guaranteed a regular first team place at the Emirates and it may be in the club’s best interest to sell him, as it will increase their own spending power in the market.

One player that is now expected to stay at Arsenal is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Mirror report that he is ready to reject a move to Liverpool and commit his future to the Gunners. Talks over a new contract are underway and he is expected to sign in the next few weeks. This will mean that the best years of his career are likely to be spent at the Emirates Stadium and that is great news for the club. There has always been a desire to keep hold of him this summer and the club’s attempts appear to have been successful.

This won’t be one of the most celebrated moves of the club’s summer, but it is an important one, as Oxlade-Chamberlain is a homegrown player with plenty of potential. There have been signs that he is progressing during the last year and it was crucial that Arsenal didn’t let him flourish elsewhere. He is a versatile player and that has been useful to the Gunners in recent years. That said, it is imperative that they give him a more defined role in the starting eleven and allow him to hone his playing style in one position if he is to be the best that he can be.

The news of Arsenal’s first summer signing is expected imminently, as Bild report that Sead Kolasinac’s move from FC Schalke has been completed. He will arrive on a free transfer with his wages reported to be €8.5 million per year. Although this move has been expected for months, it couldn’t be completed until the future of Arsene Wenger was cleared up. However, now that the Frenchman has agreed to stay on as manager, the Bosnian left-back’s transfer will soon be announced.

It is good to get a deal done early and this will give Arsenal momentum heading into the rest of the summer. There is no room for error for the club this transfer window, as they need to get their recruitment correct and completed early as they attempt to challenge for the title. It will be more difficult for them as they are the only side in the top-six not to have Champions League football to attract players. However, Arsenal remain a huge club and the signing of Kolasinac proves that as he is regarded as one of the best young full-backs in Europe.

Featured image: All rights reserved by Stuart MacFarlane