Arsenal report: Outcast defender has options to leave Gunners for good

Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin
(Image credit: Getty)

Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin is reportedly being tracked by a number of clubs around Europe.

The right-back is surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium and spent the 2021-22 campaign on loan in La Liga with Real Betis.

Bellerin featured 32 times in all competitions for Manuel Pellegrini's side, helping them to Copa del Rey glory and Europa League qualification.

But whether the 27-year-old joins Los Verdiblancos on a permanent basis remains to be seen.

Transfer supremo Fabrizio Romano reported earlier this month that Bellerin is keen to return to Andalusia but that a move is complicated for financial reasons.

Betis would appear not to be the only potential landing spot for the former Barcelona youngster this summer, though.

According to Goal (via football.london), Atletico Madrid have entered the race to sign Bellerin - with Roma also said to be interested.

And Arsenal might well want that to be the case, with a bidding war possibly forcing any transfer fee up beyond the £8.6 million they are claimed to be demanding.

Bellerin - who has been capped four times by Spain - joined the Gunners as a 16-year-old and penned his first professional contract at 17.

He's made 239 appearances for the club under three managers - Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta - winning the FA Cup on three occasions.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...