Arsenal have already made a couple of shrewd signings this summer but could now have to let go of a few players, who either have no first-team future at the club or are willing to move on for newer challenges. One such player wanted all over Europe is right-back Hector Bellerin.
A story from The Guardian claims that PSG have offered £25m plus £5m in add-ons for Hector Bellerin, who has three years left on his current deal.
The Spaniard is also attracting interest from Bayern Munich and Juventus but can Arsenal afford to let him go?
Hector Bellerin’s Arsenal Career
The 25-year-old joined Arsenal’s academy from La Masia in 2011 but only managed to cement a place in the first team after his impressive loan stint with Watford in 2014.
He was a regular under Arsene Wenger and even under Unai Emery but Bellerin missed a great chunk of the 2018-19 season with an ACL injury and slowly lost his place in the first team.
He missed 31 games in 2019, was back in action in September and just as he was competing for a place in the first team, the former Barcelona man suffered a hamstring pull, that kept him out of the game for over a month.
Even as he struggled with injuries, Hector Bellerin managed 23 appearances across all competitions last season and is still an asset for Arsenal.
A pacey full-back who loves to take on opponents on the flank, Bellerin is an attack-minded right-back who can be devastating as a wing-back.
He is a smart defender and rarely gives space or time to opponents on his wing. His makes defensive contributions look easy, thanks to his pace but he does get caught out at times due to his attacking instincts.
Can They Afford To Sell Him?
Though Ainsley Maitland-Niles will push for a place in the first team, Bellerin’s quality is undeniable and he is still regarded as one of the best full-backs in the league, which means losing him this summer could be a blow for Arsenal.
He has eight goals and 25 assists in 205 games across all competitions for the Gunners and at just 25, has a number of years at his prime, still to offer to the London club.
Hector Bellerin started Arsenal’s FA Cup games against Manchester City and Chelsea, while also playing an hour of the Community Shield against Liverpool recently. So Arteta does have Bellerin in his plans, and the signing of Cedric Soares does not really make a difference to Bellerin’s role in the side, other than adding quality depth to the side.
The former Southampton man will compete for a place in the starting XI next season while Ainsley Maitland-Niles could be pushed to a more advanced and natural role.
If Arteta believes that Soares and Maitland-Niles are good enough options for him next season, he should look to sell Bellerin at a premium but he has no reason to let him leave for a meagerly £25m+.
Arsenal hold all the cards in this deal so Bellerin’s exit will completely depend on what plans Arteta has for his backline next season.
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