Barcelona are reportedly the favourites to sign Arsenal full-back Hector Bellerin this summer, as Juventus have decided not to go after the Spaniard due to his wage demands.The Guardian's David Hytner previously reported the Bianconeri were eyeing a summer move for Bellerin, a longtime target who might be available due to the issues at the Emirates Stadium and his lack of progression in the last two seasons.Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport (h/t TalkSport) now report the Serie A giants have already shelved those plans due to the player's wage demands. Instead, former club Barcelona will chase the 22-year-old in the summer.Bellerin has been one of the main targets of angry Arsenal fans and pundits alike following a string of poor results for the club from the British capital. Football writer Matt Spiro couldn't help but take a shot at the speedster and how he has fared of late, compared to former team-mate Mathieu Debuchy, who now plays for Saint-Etienne:Bellerin was once regarded as one of the game's best prospects at the right-back position, but these days, he struggles to even get into the Spanish national team selection. The likes of Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal, Barcelona's Sergi Roberto and even Real Sociedad's Alvaro Odriozola all sit ahead of him in the pecking order.He's still reliant on his athleticism and makes the same mistakes he did two years ago. Bellerin still has plenty of time to develop as a player, but he appears to have stalled at Arsenal, and a move may be just what he needs.Bellerin remains a key player for the Gunners, as evidenced by this statistic:Arsenal won't part with their top right-back easily, and the club's likely asking price makes a move to Turin seem unlikely. The Bianconeri's transfer plans always revolve around value, and Bellerin would likely prove too costly given the risks he carries.The club also has a young, athletic Spanish right-back of its own in Pol Lirola, who was sold to Sassuolo in January. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, it is widely believed the Bianconeri retain a buy-back clause.Bellerin has been linked with a return to Barcelona ever since he moved to north London in 2011, and a reunion at the Camp Nou appears more plausible. The Catalans have a bigger transfer budget than Juventus, and less of a pressing need at the positionthey could afford to take a chance on Bellerin, rather than invest in a safer option.The aforementioned Roberto is in the midst of a fine campaign, but Barcelona's decision to invest heavily in Nelson Semedo last summer indicates they aren't convinced Spaniard is the long-term answer at the position.Semedo has been a disappointment in his first year at the Camp Nou, and Barcelona tend to lose patience with underperforming players rather quickly. If his struggles persist until summer, the Catalans could well cut their losses early and go after Bellerin, a player they know from his time in their youth setup.Read more World Football news on BleacherReport.com
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