Charlie Nicholas says that Arsenal should also sell Hector Bellerin if the right offer is received as the Gunners look to axe a number of their underperforming defenders.
Arsenal has struggled at the back for a while now, but it seems that Mikel Arteta has the right template to make them defend better.
The Spaniard will, however, need the right players to be able to implement that and that means some of the current crops of defenders will have to be sold.
The likes of Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi are likely to leave the club in this transfer window, but one other player that hasn’t been seen as a flop should also leave according to Nicholas.
He claimed that Bellerin hasn’t really been up to par since he returned from his long-term serious injury layoff.
The Spaniard was courted by the likes of Barcelona before that injury (Independent), but he is just like an average full-back now and Nicholas thinks the Gunners should sell him if they receive the right offer.
Speaking to Sky Sports, on the prospect of flogging Bellerin, Nicholas said: “I would contemplate and look at, people have been mentioning, somebody like Bellerin if the right money came.
“Now, Bellerin has been a star but since his bad injury he’s never really recovered fully.
“If we can get him fit again and get him going again, then I’m all for Bellerin staying here.”
Im with Charlie on that one, thats for sure.
I most often wonder where some of these self proclaimed pundists keep their senses of empathy & sympathy when they say some of those things they are credited of saying? Bellerin was everybody’s dream player before he got injured. Coming bavk from that dreadful experience, it would take that guy some little period to reach his peak. Is it that the Arsenal family lack the human touch needed by this guy in his our of need, that some would conveniently forget the cause of the dip in his form & shamelessly start calling for his being shipped out so soon? Arsenal should not forget so soon, how they dispensed with the services of our beloved Carzola without giving him the benefit of doubt to prove his worth, after recovering from the excruciating injury only for him to go out there to become one of the best players for his new club. If you ask me, I would tell the mgt that shipping Bellerin at this point in yimr, is the worst step they may be taking,even for football reasons. My take please.
It’s been how many years now since his injury? Cazorla got back from injury and started performing again. Good players do that. Cazorla didnt wait for 2 years playing mediocre football before regaining his form. And Cazorla had a far worse injury with age not on his side. It’s high time people stopped using this injury thing has an excuse, yes, sympathise with the player for being injured but a good footballer will be a good footballer injury or not. If Messi or Ronaldo got injured, will they lose form for a year or two when they come back? Will real quality players that have been consistent over the years do? Don’t they get injured too? If you’re good, you’re good. Enough with the excuses, we can’t keep pampering a poor player who’s had over a year of playing time after injury all because he was once good. Getting back to form depends heavily on the player. And if he can’t get back to fitness, we’ll him as Charlie rightly said.
Bellerin doesn’t need to be replaced. Focus on the positions that we really need.
I see your point but when you see how rookies Saka and Tierney have performed on the left, you realise how poor Bellerin is. If we want to improve he needs to go.
First we need to improve the cruicial areas before improving right back.. We need a defensive midfielder and a box to box!
Arrons, Atal, Elvedi, there’s plenty of much better options out there, of all the areas this is our weakest part of the squad, we must replace him with a proper right back.
with a solid defensive midfielder and well focused attacking midfielder I think we can get the best out of belerin. just wait and see him rule the world of football this season.
I don’t understand why people think he was so amazing before his injuries – he was very promising but I don’t see much difference to how he plays now. Pretty much a 5/10 in most games. Doesn’t offer much more than an open pass in attack (aside from the odd important goal), which is better than a lot of fullbacks but not enough for a club with ambition, and a mostly reliable defender who can be exposed by clever wingers. Nothing special.
When he started, it looked like he could develop into something great, but he never did.
Now he seems to be one of the ones who just gets in the team due to lack of competition and it’s about time his role in the side was questioned.
Definitely worth thinking about moving him on, especially if we need money and especially now we have AMN.