Arsene Wenger is reportedly keen on roping in Sebastien Corchia in the summer should Hector Bellerin leave.
According to Robin Bairner of Goal, Arsenal are considering a summer move for LOSC Lille right-back Sebastien Corchia to serve as a replacement for Hector Bellerin should he leave for Barcelona.
The Spaniard has been linked with a move to Barcelona for a long time as he considered to be one of the better right-backs in the continent. Despite approaches coming his way from the Catalan side, Bellerin has rejected them to stay put in London.
A La Masia graduate, Bellerin will, however, be open to returning to Barcelona at some point in the future, given Arsenal’s below par performances for the last several seasons. Moving to the Camp Nou would certainly see him pocket a greater salary and will give him a larger platform to express himself.
While he has played in the Champions League every season he’s been at the Emirates, the Gunners are in sixth place with four games to go, and are unlikely to beat the two Manchester clubs or Liverpool in the race for the top four.
However, to compete with Europe’s elite clubs, Bellerin could be pondering over a switch to Barcelona, leaving Arsene Wenger short on reinforcements to fill in at right-back. Gabriel Paulista has been far from convincing there, and Calum Chambers prefers a central role.
This could see the Frenchman pursue Lille and France full-back Sebastien Corchia. The 26-year-old has been one of Ligue 1’s outstanding right-backs for at least the past three seasons, and would be a decent acquisition for Wenger.
Corchia has also expressed the desire to play club football on the continental level – something Lille cannot guarantee him. Thus, with Arsenal knocking on the door, the Frenchman is not expected to think twice before making the switch.
He has also captained France at the under-21 level and has already gone to make 300 senior appearances in Ligue 1. Much like Bellerin, Corchia is exceptional going forward, but is also solid on the defensive side of things.
His contract runs out at the end of next season, and he is unlikely to sign an extension, as he feels he deserves a shot at a bigger club. This could be the opportune moment for Arsenal to capitalise and sign the player in the summer.
