Arsene Wenger says Arsenal will ‘try to extend’ Hector Bellerin’s contract amid Barcelona transfer speculation

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is surprised by speculation linking Hector Bellerin with a move to Barcelona and plans to offer the defender a new contract.

The right-back has been linked with a return to the Spanish champions in recent weeks after impressing for the Gunners.

Wenger, though, has no plans to part with the 21-year-old and instead wants to tie him down to a new deal, with his current one due to expire in June 2019.

"Yes, of course [I want to keep him]. That's why I'm surprised by the speculation," said Wenger.

"Look, he has nearly three years to go and we always try get the players to the level where we think they deserve to be.

"So we try to extend, certainly, his contract. We will try to extend his contract as well, but for me, his long-term future is here.

Wenger praised Bellerin's rapid improvement over recent times after a debut to forget as Arsenal lost 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in 2014.

"He has been absolutely fantastic," added the Arsenal boss.

"Let's not forget that his first game he had a nightmare when I played him and he was the year before at Watford (on loan) and he didn't play.

"His progress has been absolutely spectacular because he has absolutely top mental strength; I think he loves as well to be here and he has responsibilities already in the dressing room for such a young age, it's something remarkable."

Wenger lost Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona in 2014 after the midfielder made it clear he wanted to return to the club which nurtured him as a young player, but the Frenchman insists that is not the case with Bellerin.

"I think now that you do not necessarily have to play where you were born," he said.

"Modern life is not exactly like that and what is important is that the player meets his needs where he is and his values, and I think he integrated very well the values of our club and he came at a very, very young age of 15-and-a-half, 16 years of age. I think he is a real Arsenal player."