Barcelona scout Southampton right-back Cedric Soares after suffering Hector Bellerin knockback

Southampton star Cedric Soares is the latest right-back linked with a January move to Barcelona, joining Valencia's Joao Cancelo and Paris Saint-Germain's Serge Aurier. Spanish publication Sport suggests the trio are being monitored as Barcelona's previous top target, Hector Bellerin, looks destined to snub a move to the Nou Camp and instead commit his long-term future to Arsenal with a new deal.

Soares, 25, was already reportedly on Barcelona's radar in the summer of 2015 when the Catalans opted to sign Aleix Vidal from Sevilla instead. The Portuguese international thus left Sporting Portugal to join Southampton.

The right-back has since impressed in the Premier League, also making four appearances in Euro 2016 as part of the Portugal team that won the tournament.

Sport now claims Soares he has emerged as one of Barcelona's alternatives to Arsenal star Bellerin as the Catalans are considering signing a new right-back in the January window as Vidal has fell out of favour.

AS supports those claims, adding that Barcelona sent scouts to watch Soares in action during Southampton's 2-1 victory over Inter Milan on Thursday night, although they left disappointed as the defender missed out through injury.

Sport claims that Bellerin remains as the top option among the Catalan hierarchy. However, the club have almost given up on signing the Arsenal right-back as they understand the Spaniard will sign a new deal at his current outfit in the coming weeks.

Barcelona hope to cash-in on Vidal in the coming window to fund the move for another right-back, with Sport claiming that whey would be ready to part ways with the Spaniard for around €13m, despite paying around €20m to Sevilla less than two years ago.

They add that Valencia could be interested in the Spaniard to sweeten the Cancelo deal as part of a swap agreement.

Meanwhile, Barcelona are also monitoring Aurier, but have some doubts due to his controversial history.