Barcelona 'target Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny for summer transfer'

Posted Sunday, July 15, 2012 by Metro.co.uk

Barca are short of options at the back and had to use Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets as emergency defenders last season.

Laurent Koscielny is in contract talks with Arsenal

New boss Tito Vilanova has made a central defender his priority for the transfer window and was rumoured to be keen on Gunners star Thomas Vermaelen and AC Milan's Thiago Silva, who is now on the verge of signing for Paris Saint-Germain.

The Catalan club, who have a limited budget following their big spending last summer, have apparently started to examine some other options.

Reports in the French press have claimed that one player they are seriously considering making a bid for is Koscielny.

The 26-year-old struggled during his first season at Arsenal following his £8.5million move from Lorient in 2010, but his much-improved displays last term caught the eye of some of Europe's other major clubs.

He was linked with Inter Milan earlier in the summer and it now seems that he is a possible target for Barcelona.

News of the La Liga runners-up's alleged interest comes just days after it emerged the France international has opened talks about a new long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners would like Koscielny to sign a five-year deal to replace his existing terms, which are scheduled to expire in 2014.