Why Arsenal should let go of Hector Bellerin as soon as possible
According to Italian media outlet FcInterNews (h/t Football.London), Inter Milan are chasing Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin.
The £110,000-a-week Bellerin is seen as a potential replacement for Inter’s loan star Victor Moses, who plays as a back-up for veteran Antonio Candreva in the right-wing. With Moses’ future remaining an uncertainty at the moment and the player expected to return to parent club Chelsea at the end of the season, Inter boss Antonio Conte is weighing up his options, with Bellerin emerging as a target (h/t Football.London).
Candreva, meanwhile, turned 33 in February and the Nerazzuri have identified the Gunners full-back as an alternative for the Italian on the right (h/t Football.London). Conte’s Inter mostly play with a three-man defence with a right-wing back who plays a little upfront.
Full-back Bellerin’s attacking instincts make him a natural choice in that role and he could give the seasoned Candreva a run for his money in the starting line-up if a deal pans out. Meanwhile, Bellerin has not had the best of campaigns this season after returning from a cruciate ligament tear that kept him out of action for almost eight months.
He recently returned to action in December, however once again suffered a hamstring problem that restricted him to a total of just eight games in the league this season.
An attacking full-back, Bellerin has never quite looked the same since his return from injury. The 25-year-old arrived at the Emirates back in 2011 from Barcelona and has played 195 games across all competitions for the Gunners.
A regular choice at the right since the 2014-15 season, Bellerin’s graph has been on a downward curve since the 2018-19 season. However, when fit, he is still the first-choice man at Arsenal. Injury to Bellerin saw coach Mikel Arteta rely on Ainsley Maitland-Niles and centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the right-back role. However, neither are natural full-backs.
The Gunners also have Rob Holding and Calum Chambers, who can play on the right but both of them are also comfortable playing as a centre-back which puts Arsenal in a precarious state.
Despite all that, it would be better of Arsenal to sell Bellerin, whose numbers show a decline in performance in the last two seasons. Moreover, he has always been more of an attack-minded player than a defensive one.
Considering Arsenal’s weak displays at the back this season, Arteta should look for a more defensive-minded option to bolster his backline. The Gunners could rather offload Bellerin and invest that money to recruit someone new.
Read more:
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Verdict
Right-back Bellerin clearly looks a shadow of the player he was since his return from injury. Moreover, Arsenal currently need better defensive reinforcements and Bellerin is not someone who fits that mould. With Inter Milan hot on his trail (h/t Football London), it would be wise of Arsenal to let him go than keep him any longer.
