Arsenal journalist Charles Watts has discussed the future of Hector Bellerin and suggested that the signs point towards an Emirates exit for the Spaniard.
Bellerin has been at the club for a decade after the Gunners poached him as a 16-year-old from Barcelona.
He has built a fine career for himself at the club, but it seems that the time has come for him and the club to part ways.
Mikel Arteta hasn’t been relying on him for much of this season and he would feel the Gunners can do without him.
He is in competition for a place in the team with the likes of Cedric Soares and Calum Chambers.
The latter has emerged as the favourite of Arteta in recent games and could maintain that status next season.
Watts says Bellerin is likely to leave the Gunners and the recent team selections show that the club is probably planning for their future without him in their squad.
He said on his YouTube channel: “I think there’s certainly conversations to be had with Hector Bellerin this summer. The suggestion is from pretty much everyone you talk to that everyone is in agreement that they kind of feel like this might well be Hector Bellerin’s last season at Arsenal.
“Again, it depends on a few things, though – what interested clubs are there, will they interest Bellerin, will the bid be enough to tempt Arsenal into doing business?
“Now, we know Hector nearly went last summer, didn’t happen. Mikel Arteta spoke with him, they had talks, Arteta has admitted this previously and [at] those talks [it] was decided he’d stay for another year.
“It hasn’t quite worked out for Hector this season. He’s been in and out of the team. Certainly, the signs are now you’ve seen with the team selection, the fact that Calum Chambers is playing ahead of him at the moment, Cedric has done at times as well, that Mikel is now kind of looking beyond Hector when it comes to the right-back [position] and Arsenal certainly will be looking at the right-backs, in terms of bringing in someone this summer to play over there.”
Unless Bellerin and one other goes I don’t see that right back is a desperate need. Surely another left back is more important as I can’t see kola returning.
Yes, correct. We have two senior players who naturally play at right back: Chambers and Cedric. While at the left side, only KT (and on loan Kola).
It’s not about having Many players, it’s about having a quality player that can make a difference, which noon of the above can
Up to now I don’t know why we bought Cedric. Then 29yrs reserve player of Southampton, took him on loan and signed him for 4 yrs?
Arteta has mismanaged the squad as well. Selling EMI instead of getting rid of Leno
Mainly because Cedric’s manager is Kia Joorabchan, who also manages Edu. Get the drift.
Could be Cedric leaving. He too hasn’t been playing much of late
we should definitely sell Bellerin if viable suitors emerge with chequebooks in hand…we likewise shouldn’t invest heavily in a replacement until we’ve had a proper rethink regarding our abhorrent tactics, which might be remedied if we actually replaced our underwhelming inexperienced manager
Mouser, you are on the money again. Chambers and Cedric are pedestrian and do not provide Arsenal with any advantage over other teams. The goal is to find someone who can, mark his opponent, overlap, provide a decent cross and cover defensively. Where are you the next Dani Alves.
I don’t know, chambers has looked a real attacking threat from RB when I’ve seen him. He’s quite adventurous and (almost?) as good a crosser as KT, and I think he has a great mentality. Only real weakness is his pace, but it’s not looked such a weakness recently.
Arteta and Edu should leave first before Arsenal lose valuable players.
Arteta is not fit to pilot Arsenal
After being out fort so long I reckon Chambers has been astonishing on his return from a very bad injury, he picked up that injury against Chelsea last season when we were having a decent run as a team and he was performing consistently well at centre back, definitely one to keep in my view
Hector has had a very good Arsenal career but probably time for him to move on, particularly if we can get decent money for him
Cedric OK as a squaddie in my opinion and if AMN comes back to play in midfield he could also cover RB if needed
Fingers, Shame you had to spoil a decent post by the AMN comment. He will not be returning, nor should he, except temporarily, to find a new club, assuming WBA cannot or will not afford to buy him.