Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Hector Bellerin and Alen Halilovic Rumours

Barcelona academy product Hector Bellerin has dismissed rumours linking him with a return to Barcelona after confessing England is now his "home." The Blaugrana may also face a fight to convince Alen Halilovic to remain at the Camp Nou.

Although Bellerin admits it was once his dream to wear Barcelona's first-team colours, the 21-year-old emphasizes that he couldn't imagine playing for any team other than Arsenal, per James Benge of the London Evening Standard:

"

I say every year that England is my home now. I've lived there for many years; my family and my girlfriend are there. I'm very happy there so I don't see myself anywhere other than Arsenal. ...

How did it feel to play against Barca? For me, Barca was where I grew up since I was tiny, from eight years old. My dream when I was at Barca was to play at Camp Nou and I did - just not wearing the shirt I'd expected when I was little. 

It was something very special and beautiful.

"

Bellerin moved to the Emirates Stadium in 2011 and spent two years in Arsenal's academy before finally breaking into manager Arsene Wenger's first-team plans during the 2014-15 campaign.

The right-back's rise since then has been rapid, and Sky Sports Football provided a look at his 2015-16 stats, which led him to be elected into the Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year:

Barca currently have veteran Dani Alves patrolling their right-back slot, and the Brazilian will remain in that role until at least the summer of 2017, when his current contract with the club expires.

Bellerin is yet to make his senior debut for Spain's national team, and despite some quandaries as to why he wasn't selected for manager Vicente del Bosque's Euro 2016 squad, Yahoo's Andrew Gaffney said the choice was justified:

It makes sense that the Blaugrana would look to Bellerin, an alumnus of the fabled La Masia academy, to fill that right-back position when Alves leaves, given their penchant for re-signing former players who progress elsewhere.

However, Bellerin's loyalties remain with Arsenal—at least for the time being—and his commitment to the Gunners suggests Barca may face a challenge in tempting him back to the Camp Nou.

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

The reigning Primera Division champions also look likely to see Croatian starlet Halilovic leave their ranks this summer, after he confirmed talks are well underway to engineer a move to Valencia.

The 19-year-old impressed on loan at Sporting Gijon this past season and helped the club preserve their status in La Liga, but he informed Croatian outlet TPortal he could be en route to the Mestalla (h/t Sport):

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Nothing has been agreed with Valencia yet, but negotiations are going well and we’re waiting to hear from Barcelona. My greatest wish is to stay at Barcelona and wait for my chance there, but if they tell me to go to another club then I’ll think in that manner. ...

I’m pleased to have attracted the attention of other clubs like Valencia but, to my knowledge, Barcelona have plans for me and will reserve a buyback option for the future.

"

Halilovic scored three goals and recorded five assists in 36 appearances for Sporting during the 2015-16 league campaign, averaging 1.6 shots per game and a passing accuracy of 78.7 percent, per WhoScored.com.

The teenager comes across as mature for his age, and Barca would be wise to maintain a buy-back option on one of the latest in a long line of young prodigies to emerge from Croatia.