Udinese are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin, with the Spaniard last week offered to FC Barcelona in an attempt to offload the right-back.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Serie A side are eyeing the 27-year-old fullback as a replacement for Brandon Soppy, who is set to join Atalanta this week in a reported deal worth €10m (£8m), with Arsenal keen to sell Bellerin this summer to get rid off his reported £110,000-a-week salary.
As per the report, Udinese are not alone in their interest for Bellerin, with Real Betis working hard to sign the defender after the former Barcelona academy star impressed for Manuel Pellegrini’s side last season on loan, with reports suggesting that the Arsenal outcast’s contract will be terminated to make the move possible.
Betis and Udinese are also facing potential competition from Barcelona, who last week were reportedly offered the chance to sign Bellerin as Xavi Hernandez looks for a replacement for Sergino Dest, who is believed to be in talks to join Manchester United in a €20m (£17m) deal.
With Arsenal desperate to sell, Udinese signing Bellerin for an actual fee could be the best-case scenario for the north London side, who this summer have made little money from the sales of Bernd Leno, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi, though they could now be set for something from the Udine club.
Indeed, with Udinese now in a position to potentially offer Bellerin a good wage, Arsenal could sell the defender for a fee in what could be a great move for the Gunners, though for the player himself, a return to Betis permanently could be more appealing than a new adventure in Italy.
Udinese could struggle to sign Bellerin with Betis still in the picture
Bellerin is no strange to interest from Serie A, yet after the incredible success of his loan spell at Betis last season, Udinese could really struggle to sign the Arsenal defender with a return to Seville seemingly on the fullback’s mind this summer.
After all, Bellerin has a strong connection to Betis as a club and his homeland, and signing for the La Liga side could be what stops Udinese from landing the defender as well as Arsenal making a decent profit from their academy graduate this summer.
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