Hector Bellerin is one of the success stories for Arsenal last season. And the young defender will be looking to build on it as he prepares for the new Premier League season. The pre-season training for the new season will start at London Colney on Monday and will see most of the team members gathering.
The 20-year-old Bellerin took to Twitter to post a picture of him on a plane back to the training center after enjoying time in the off-season with a holiday away. He made 28 appearances for the Gunners in the just concluded season and found the net twice in the process.
The Spanish defender will be hopeful that he keeps impressing his manager Arsene Wenger and keep his place in the starting XI. Critics and supporters will have no doubts that he proved his worth in the top flight with his performances during the last year.
Apart from this, he also broke Arsenal’s record for being the club’s fastest player; Theo Walcott held this mantle earlier. Bellerin was also very happy with the academy policy at the North London side. He went on record to proclaim that at the Emirates it is a case of ‘not just buy players, Arsenal make them the players they are’.
Bellerin came from one of the best academies in the world – Barcelona’s La Masia four years ago. He had a chance to stay there and etch his name in the annals of Barcelona. But, he chose to try his luck and learn the trade at Arsenal.
He has always proclaimed his happiness of turning down the chance at Barcelona and joining Arsenal. He has flourished into an incisive and brave right-back establishing himself as Arsenal’s first choice in the process.
Bellerin had been playing as a right-winger for Barcelona but has been playing as a right-back at Arsenal, and developing too. He would find the new season in direct competition with Mathieu Debuchy. The Frenchman was unlucky to miss most of the season with ankle and shoulder injuries.
This actually is a welcome headache for Wenger. The genial gaffer always maintained that competition for places in the squad is healthy and would only raise the performances. Bellerin should see his competition with Debuchy as a way of improving his own game.
The second season for a player is seen as a precursor to the way his career pans out. If Bellerin can continue to show his appetite to improve, it can propel him and the club to success.
What do you think? Will Bellerin be able to continue his best performances and continue his development?
Sridhar