Barcelona icon Xavi would not re-sign Hector Bellerin from Arsenal

Bellerin has been linked with a return to the Nou Camp having left for north London in 2011

Hector Bellerin has blossomed into one of European football's most exciting young full-backs (Getty)

Barcelona icon Xavi does not believe that his former club should re-sign players who left the academy as youngsters, like Arsenal full-back Hector Bellerin.

The 37-year-old midfielder came up through Barcelona’s famous Masia set-up and made 767 senior appearances for the club before moving to Qatari side Al Saad in 2015.

Bellerin, meanwhile, has been linked with a return to the Nou Camp after leaving in 2011 for Arsenal, where he has developed into one of European football’s most excting young full-backs.

The likes of Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas and Denis Suarez all made moves back to Catalonia over the course of the last decade, but Xavi is sceptical about the policy of bringing academy players home.

“I haven't seen [Bellerin] play a lot, but what I will say is I find it difficult to accept signing a player who was already at the club,” he told Diario Sport.

“Of course it can work out, but I would not sign players who leave. Why are they leaving at 16, 17? I find it baffling. I just don't understand it.”

Bellerin signed a new six-year Arsenal contract last November and reiterated his commitment to the north London club at the recent European Under-21 Championships in Poland.

“I have a contract over there [at Arsenal],” he said following Spain’s 1-0 defeat to Germany in the final.

“I have to report back for pre-season and now is the time for me to just enjoy with my team-mates in Spain for a few days.”

Gerard Deulofeu, Bellerin’s Under-21 team-mate, became the latest player to return to Barcelona earlier this month when the Catalan club activated a buy-back clause in the winger’s contract with Everton.

Deulofeu had become a peripheral figure at Goodison Park following the appointment of Ronald Koeman last summer and the 23-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Milan.