Arsenal to offer Hector Bellerin new contract

Arsenal are reportedly preparing to offer full-back Héctor Bellerín a lucrative new contract to counteract interest from Barcelona.

The 21-year-old has been named in Vicente del Bosque’s final 23-man squad at the expense of injured Dani Carvajal ahead of the European Championship despite only making his debut for Spain during the 3-1 friendly victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina last month.

Barcelona have aspirations to lure the talented defender back to the Camp Nou but their plans have been accelerated after learning of Dani Alves’s desire to join Juventus after he insisted upon a get-out clause in his contract last summer.

Bellerín is a graduate of the La Masia academy but, according to reports, he is unlikely to re-join his former employers after Arsenal stepped up plans to tie him down to a new long-term contract at the Emirates.

Arsenal are also believed to be keen to secure both Mesut Özil and Alexis Sánchez on new terms following the £30m acquisition of Granit Xhaka from Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Arsène Wenger remains optimistic of signing record-breaking striker Jamie Vardy from Leicester City after they met his £20m release clause last week .

The Frenchman, however, will likely have to wait until the completion of England’s campaign in France after the 29-year-old indicated he needs longer to consider his future.

Vardy propelled the Foxes to an unlikely title triumph last season with 24 goals while also breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record by scoring in 11 consecutive Premier League matches.

Vardy is considering his options after Leicester countered Arsenal’s three-year £120,000-a-week package with one of their own, believed to be worth £100,000-a-week.

Wenger has discussed the former Fleetwood Town forward’s chances of starting for Roy Hodgson’s side this month, expressing doubt that he will feature alongside Harry Kane up front.

“I don’t think that Vardy will be a starter for England,” the Arsenal manager told reporters . “He has earned his place in the squad. I don’t say this because he doesn’t have the quality but he doesn’t have enough experience but will surely be vital.