Barcelona have emerged as potential rivals to Arsenal in the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender, according to reports.
Bender has been repeatedly linked with a move away from Leverkusen, and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is believed to be a fan of the 25-year-old, who has won 19 caps for Germany.
However, The Mirror claims that Barcelona are considering launching a move for the defensive midfielder this summer as Luis Enrique looks to add to his options.
The report suggests that Arsenal could be forced to move for other targets, and their reported interest in Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is likely to be revisited.
