London club Arsenal are looking to bring Barcelona youngster Sergi Samper to the Emirates this summer by paying the highly-rated midfielder's release clause.
Arsene Wenger has hand picked Samper as a potential long term successor to club captain Mikel Arteta, who according to reports, has signed a new one-year deal with the club.
Wenger's interest in Barcelona's 20-year-old defensive midfielder comes after his side missed out on a number of top transfer targets, including Geoffrey Kondogbia, who signed for Italian giants Inter Milan from AS Monaco.
Samper wouldn't be the first player Arsenal have lured away from Barca's famous La Masia academy, with compatriots Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin all making the move from Catalonia to London.
And now, reports from Spanish site Mundo Deportivo (translation required) suggest that Samper could be on his way to Arsenal, with the FA Cup winners willing to pay the player's £8.4million release clause.
Samper is reportedly frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities given to him and is considering a move to Arsenal as he looks to step up from Barcelona's B team.
The Barcelona born player has been with the Spanish giants since he was six-year-old and was expected to challenge Sergio Busquets – a player he has been likened to - for a starting XI berth this season.
Source: DSG
