Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin has admitted that he finds being away from Catalunya and his family difficult as speculation over a return to Barcelona intensifies.

The Spanish giants have long viewed Bellerin, who came through their academy at La Masia, as the ideal long-term replacement for Dani Alves, whose departure at the end of the 2015-16 season presaged a lengthy struggle for Luis Enrique to find an adequate right-back.

It had appeared Arsenal had held off the challenge of Barcelona and Manchester City when Bellerin signed a new six year contract in November but recent comments would suggest the 22-year-old, who joined the Gunners at the age of 16, is keen to return to his home city.

In an interview with Barcelona-based newspaper Sport Bellerin said he missed “being with my parents after games, it’s something I’ve done since childhood.

“I like to share these moments with them. Everything is more difficult if they are not with you.”

He had also told El Mundo Deportivo: “My family settled there with me, although now for family matters they have had to return to Barcelona.

“Now I am having a harder time, because I am a very family orientated person, I depend on them a lot, and it will be a new challenge to be without them.”

Arsenal players who moved to Barcelona 9 show all Arsenal players who moved to Barcelona 1/9 Back to Barca for Bellerin?

Were he to move to the Nou Camp, and Arsenal are reluctant for that to happen, Bellerin would be the latest in a lengthy list of players to trade in the Premier League for La Liga.

Standard Sport examines how recent departures have fared. The Spanish giants have identified Hector Bellerin as their first-choice replacement for Dani Alves. Were he to move to the Nou Camp, and Arsenal are reluctant for that to happen, Bellerin would be the latest in a lengthy list of players to trade in the Premier League for La Liga.Standard Sport examines how recent departures have fared. Getty 2/9 Marc Overmars - 2000 Transfer fee: £25m



Games: 141



Goals: 19



The then-most expensive footballer in Dutch history struggled to stay fit up until 2004 and rarely discovered his Arsenal form at the Nou Camp.



Verdict: Miss 3/9 Emmanuel Petit - 2000 Transfer fee: £7m



Games: 38



Goals: 1



Could not earn himself a starting spot in midfield ahead of Pep Guardiola and was back in the Premier League a year later with Chelsea.



Verdict: Miss Ben Radford/ALLSPORT 4/9 Giovanni van Bronckhorst - 2004 Transfer fee: £1.6m



Games: 153



Goals: 7



A flop at Arsenal he was a revelation as Barcelona's first-choice left-back and never once let his side down over four seasons.



Verdict: Hit Alex Livesey/Getty Images 5/9 Thierry Henry - 2007 Transfer fee: £19.2m



Games: 121



Goals: 49



He finally won the Champions League and his goal return for his first two seasons was decent, if not exceptional. However Barcelona fans never quite saw the best of Henry.



Verdict: Miss (by Henry standards) Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images 6/9 Alexander Hleb - 2008 Transfer fee: £13.6m



Games: 36



Goals: 0



Eyebrows were raised when Hleb chose to trade in the Emirates for the Nou Camp and his first season was far from a success, with most of his appearances coming from the bench.



He spent subsequent seasons on loan at Stuttgart, Birmingham and Wolfsburg.



Verdict: Miss Denis Doyle/Getty Images 7/9 Cesc Fabregas - 2011 Transfer fee: £35m



Games: 151



Goals: 42



Barcelona finally got their man after years of pursuit, reuniting Fabregas with his boyhood club.



The dream swiftly turned sour as Fabregas struggled to carve out a starting spot in a midfield of Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets.



A year after a move to Manchester United collapsed Fabregas was back in the Premier League, signing for Chelsea in 2014.



Verdict: Miss 2014 Getty Images 8/9 Alex Song - 2012 Transfer fee: £15m



Games: 65



Goals: 1



Two seasons at Barcelona were nothing to write home about, he rarely seemed likely to be more than a benchwarmer though.



His second season on loan at West Ham was far from impressive and he will almost certainly need a new club next season.



Verdict: Miss Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images 9/9 Thomas Vermaelen - 2014 Transfer fee: £15m



Games: 21



Goals: 1



A great bit of business from Wenger, the Belgian centre-back has traded one treatment room for another without any significant success. Played just one game in his first season at Barcelona as he continued his extensive struggles with injuries.



Verdict: Miss (David Ramos/Getty Images) 1/9 Back to Barca for Bellerin?

Were he to move to the Nou Camp, and Arsenal are reluctant for that to happen, Bellerin would be the latest in a lengthy list of players to trade in the Premier League for La Liga.

Standard Sport examines how recent departures have fared. The Spanish giants have identified Hector Bellerin as their first-choice replacement for Dani Alves. Were he to move to the Nou Camp, and Arsenal are reluctant for that to happen, Bellerin would be the latest in a lengthy list of players to trade in the Premier League for La Liga.Standard Sport examines how recent departures have fared. Getty 2/9 Marc Overmars - 2000 Transfer fee: £25m



Games: 141



Goals: 19



The then-most expensive footballer in Dutch history struggled to stay fit up until 2004 and rarely discovered his Arsenal form at the Nou Camp.



Verdict: Miss 3/9 Emmanuel Petit - 2000 Transfer fee: £7m



Games: 38



Goals: 1



Could not earn himself a starting spot in midfield ahead of Pep Guardiola and was back in the Premier League a year later with Chelsea.



Verdict: Miss Ben Radford/ALLSPORT 4/9 Giovanni van Bronckhorst - 2004 Transfer fee: £1.6m



Games: 153



Goals: 7



A flop at Arsenal he was a revelation as Barcelona's first-choice left-back and never once let his side down over four seasons.



Verdict: Hit Alex Livesey/Getty Images 5/9 Thierry Henry - 2007 Transfer fee: £19.2m



Games: 121



Goals: 49



He finally won the Champions League and his goal return for his first two seasons was decent, if not exceptional. However Barcelona fans never quite saw the best of Henry.



Verdict: Miss (by Henry standards) Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images 6/9 Alexander Hleb - 2008 Transfer fee: £13.6m



Games: 36



Goals: 0



Eyebrows were raised when Hleb chose to trade in the Emirates for the Nou Camp and his first season was far from a success, with most of his appearances coming from the bench.



He spent subsequent seasons on loan at Stuttgart, Birmingham and Wolfsburg.



Verdict: Miss Denis Doyle/Getty Images 7/9 Cesc Fabregas - 2011 Transfer fee: £35m



Games: 151



Goals: 42



Barcelona finally got their man after years of pursuit, reuniting Fabregas with his boyhood club.



The dream swiftly turned sour as Fabregas struggled to carve out a starting spot in a midfield of Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets.



A year after a move to Manchester United collapsed Fabregas was back in the Premier League, signing for Chelsea in 2014.



Verdict: Miss 2014 Getty Images 8/9 Alex Song - 2012 Transfer fee: £15m



Games: 65



Goals: 1



Two seasons at Barcelona were nothing to write home about, he rarely seemed likely to be more than a benchwarmer though.



His second season on loan at West Ham was far from impressive and he will almost certainly need a new club next season.



Verdict: Miss Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images 9/9 Thomas Vermaelen - 2014 Transfer fee: £15m



Games: 21



Goals: 1



A great bit of business from Wenger, the Belgian centre-back has traded one treatment room for another without any significant success. Played just one game in his first season at Barcelona as he continued his extensive struggles with injuries.



Verdict: Miss (David Ramos/Getty Images)

With six years yet to run on Bellerin’s contract Arsenal remain in a strong position to rebuff any interested parties.

However the swift change in attitude from Bellerin, who on signing his new contract had expressed a desire to stay at the club for “many more years”, will doubtless be a cause for concern for manager Arsene Wenger, who revealed that he hopes to add further reinforcements before the club’s pre-season commitments begin with a tour to Australia in mid-July.