Arsenal tell Barcelona transfer target Hector Bellerin is not for sale and are confident Spaniard will stay this summer

Barca had hoped that if Bellerin could make enough noise that they would be able to convince Arsenal to sell for a fee in the region of £45m

Hector Bellerin is one of Barcelona's top targets but looks set to stay (Getty)

Arsenal have told Barcelona that Hector Bellerin is not for sale and they expect the Spanish defender to remain in north London.

Bellerin emerged as one of the Nou Camp club's top targets and new head coach Ernesto Valverde gave the green light to his signing.

But the emergence of Marco Verratti onto this summer's market has complicated a summer that was already going to stretch Barca's financial limits, with self-imposed budgets meaning that the club could only countenance a net spend of around £75m this off-season.

Barca had hoped that if Bellerin could make enough noise that they would be able to convince Arsenal to sell for a fee in the region of £45m.

But Arsenal are playing hard ball and, bearing in mind the other areas of the side that need strengthening, any deal would take up too much of their summer budget to be feasible as things stand.

Arsenal, similarly, can't afford to lose any big names with Alexis Sanchez's future already up in the air and tension between the club and its supporters over Arsene Wenger's new contract.

Standing firm on Bellerin and not losing him to Barcelona would be a good way to start winning them over.