Arsenal set price for Bellerin
Arsenal have reportedly told interested suitors, which supposedly include Spanish clubs Atletico Madrid and Real Betis, that they would need to cough up a fee in the region of £20 million for the signature of Hector Bellerin.
The Spaniard has been heavily linked to several clubs in Europe, and the Gunners are keen to move on from the 26-year-old.
According to CBS Sports, Diego Simeone see the Arsenal right-back as the perfect replacement to Kieran Trippier, who’s had numerous links with Manchester United.
Spanish publication Marca reported that Arsenal might fight it out with their English counterparts for Trippier, although that seems highly unlikely at the moment.
Apart from the former Spurs man, Arsenal themselves have been linked to a whole host of right-backs such as Norwich City’s Max Aarons, Barcelona’s Emerson Royal and Tariq Lamptey of Brighton and Hove Albion.
However, interest seem to have cooled down on the latter since his season-ending injury that the Englishman suffered in March.
Betis might hold an emotional appeal to Bellerin, a club he and his father support. But Atletico’s overall charm is clearly superior due to the allure of Champions League.
Paris Saint Germain had reportedly bid for the full-back last summer only to see their offer rejected with manager Mikel Arteta convincing Bellerin to stay for at least a further year.
Now it is widely being reported that Arsenal would not stand in the way of the player, who joined them as a 16-year-old boy from Barcelona’s La Masia academy.
Although form has not been on Bellerin’s side since his ACL injury at the start of 2019, a fresh start somewhere else appears rational for a player who was regarded so highly in his early 20s.