Arsenal Transfer News: Idrissa Gueye Interest Reported, Latest Gunners Rumours

Arsenal will reportedly move for Everton general Idrissa Gueye this summer as they look to make up for missing out on Chelsea's N'Golo Kante. Meanwhile, Barcelona are said to already be in talks with right-back Hector Bellerin. 

The Sun's Mike McGrath reported Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has had scouts in attendance to keep tabs on Gueye since his summer move from Aston Villa, and they've been impressed by what they've seen.

The report noted it was Everton's director of football, Steve Walsh, who told former employers Leicester City to sign Kante from Caen in 2015, showing the executive has an eye for tough-tackling midfield talent.

And James Gheerbrant of the Times recently has seen comparisons between Gueye and Kante, the latter of whom Arsenal were linked with before he joined the Blues from Leicester City last summer:

Like Kante, Gueye is an all-action engine-room specialist whose assets lend themselves well in both attack and defence, a skill set that could complement the likes of Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla well in midfield.

Wenger may have thought he was purchasing just that after recruiting Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach last summer, but it's Gueye who's proved to be a more potent force, per Merseyside writer Richard Buxton:

Xhaka has already racked up eight yellow cards and two straight reds in just over 2,300 minutes for Arsenal this term, per Transfermarkt, while Gueye has accrued seven yellows in 2,100 minutes.

Everton signed the player for just £7.1 million after meeting his release clause following Villa's relegation last term, per the Press Association (h/t the Guardian), although the Toffees would be expected to charge a heftier sum for this talents.

Elsewhere, Spanish newspaper Sport (h/t MailOnline's James Dutton) reported Barcelona have stepped up their pursuit of Arsenal star Bellerin and are already said to be in negotiations with the player and his representatives.

It's mentioned the former La Masia academy member could draw an offer worth £35 million, and Eurosport UK recently expanded further on just how much it might cost the Blaugrana to reclaim their former player:

What's more, Bellerin recently ignited further transfer speculation after saying he was "really hurt" by some Arsenal fans following their 10-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, per the Irish Independent:

"For me especially I'm really hurt seeing the fans leaving the stadium so early. At the end of the day we play for them and want them to be happy and for them to get behind us. It hurts to see them leave so early. We need to make them happy with the rest of the season now. We know we've got the capacity and the potential to do well.

"We need to think about every game the same way. We started (well) today and we know if we can play that kind of football we can be up there. I just want to say sorry to the fans because we can be better than that."

Losing 5-1 in each of their round-of-16 legs against Bayern will have been a firm reminder to some in the Gunners squad in regards to where their European prospects lie in comparison with other continental titans.

Barca are in need of a right-back after failing to recruit a true heir to Dani Alves' throne last summer, and it appears the Catalan powerhouse are one pace closer to finding their ideal solution.