Arsenal have long been linked with Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper and this summer may present the last chance the Gunners will have to swoop for him.

Samper hasn’t come by regular opportunities at Camp Nou and it doesn’t look like he will in the near future. That’ll happen when Sergio Busquets plays in your position.

With a £9m release clause still looming large and a contract expiring in 2017, Barcelona are understandably keen to open contract talks but why should Samper stay?

According to Sport, Pep Guardiola could be keen on taking Samper with him to Manchester City to make him the Busquets of his next project.

Arsenal showed the midfielder around London Colney along with Jon Toral and Héctor Bellerín five years ago now. While the other two signed for the club, Samper stayed in Spain to chase his dream of becoming a Barcelona regular.

Now, years on, Bellerín is playing every week at the Emirates Stadium and Samper is playing for Barcelona B in Spain’s third division. He’s only played 30 minutes of La Liga football all season.

Sport also say Samper will feature for the Barcelona first team in pre-season before assessing his future but, if prospects remain fairly bleak, a loan move could be on the cards. It all comes down to whether or not the Spain youth international signs a new contract.

Heavily linked with Granit Xhaka, Arsenal may not feel the need to sign another midfielder in the summer. Samper would be perfect, though, and an apt replacement for former Barcelona youth player and Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta.