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Hector Bellerin's future at Arsenal appears to be in doubt, with the right-back stating that he wants to stay at Real Betis, the club he has supported since he was a child. Bellerin joined Arsenal's youth system from Barcelona in 2011. After breaking into the main squad, he soon became a fan favorite at the Emirates.
With his aggressive displays and hybrid London accent, the Spaniard achieved cult status in north London and even wore the captain's armband on multiple occasions.
Hector Bellerin's relationship with the club deteriorated under current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, with the full-back no longer being a first-choice option at the Emirates.
The 26-year-old eventually made a deadline-day loan move to Real Betis in La Liga this summer, a team he grew up supporting thanks to his Sevilla-born father.
Bellerin has made four appearances for Betis since relocating to Sevilla and is already considering his long-term future with the club, as his Arsenal deal expires in 2022.
Hector Bellerin told El Desmarque:
“I don’t know, but I’ve always said if I didn’t want to be here next season, I wouldn’t have come from the beginning. There are many things to be decided but what I want to do is enjoy this season that I am here. And what has to happen will happen.”
I think in football, that love of sport is being lost: Hector Bellerin
Hector Bellerin also commented on the impact of money on modern football. The right-back feels the last year has provided him with the opportunity to reflect on the changing nature of the game. He said:
“It is clear that money is something important because it is our job. I think, in football, that love of sport, of the club, is being lost. And for me, after having understood and had that feeling since childhood, there are things that you put first.”
He added:
“This past year and a half has made us rethink many things. For me and for everyone, it was an effort to carry out the operation, not only from the point of view of money. Also, how much does it cost us to get here? In the end, those efforts paid off and I had other priorities when making my decision.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta recently commented on the situation, with Bellerin clearly still admired in north London. Arteta said:
“To find someone like Hector is not easy. He has been raised here with us and is loved by everyone at the football club. I had to say goodbye with sadness but at the same time, I had to understand his position.”
Arteta added:
“He needed a new challenge; he has needed a new challenge for a while now. After discussions for a long time, we decided to let him go because it was the right thing for him as well. He always told me about playing one day at Betis, and we had talked about it.”
