Nacho Monreal is confident he will be playing alongside Hector Bellerin at Arsenal next season, despite the latter being the subject of reported interest from Barcelona.

Bellerin’s future in north London has remained in doubt, despite the attacking full-back signing a six-year contact last November and establishing himself as a first-team regular under Arsene Wenger.

The Spain international progressed through Barca’s famed La Masia youth system before joining Arsenal in 2011.

New Barca coach Ernesto Valverde is short of options at full-back and that has only exacerbated rumours of a return.

Barca midfielder Denis Suarez recently suggested that Bellerin is pondering the move, but Monreal is confident he will remain with the Premier League club.

‘He’s an Arsenal player and almost certainly he will stay here,’ Monreal told Mundo Deportivo.

‘Hector is a very important player for us and the boss [Wenger] has already reiterated that he counts on him.

‘Now they will have to negotiate between the clubs and we will see what happen, but almost for sure he will continue with us.’

– This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za