Arsenal: Hector Bellerin isn’t “another top player” and can be sold

Arsenal are facing more predatory transfer vultures after Hector Bellerin, but is he really so irreplaceable or are we living in the past?

Arsenal are in the midst of their most hectic January of all time. Several exits and what’s looking like a few entrances are on the books and it doesn’t figure to stop there. We are, after all, just past the half-way point of the month. There is still time for madness.

One potential bit of madness is coming from Italy. Juventus are sniffing around after wannabe-Barcelona man Hector Bellerin, hoping he can be the long-term fix to their aging corps of right-sided fullbacks.

Paul Mariner doesn’t like this idea. Do you Paul?

"Will Arsenal and can Arsenal afford to sell or let another top player go? I don’t think they can, it will be sad to me if he goes. Again, for his career it would be great, but I’m going to say miss."

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Two years ago, even last summer, this was all a bit terrifying, because Bellerin had gone from “I owe everything to Arsenal and would hang up on Barcelona” to “just kidding, I would love to go home to Barcelona.”

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These days, I have to disagree with with Mr. Mariner in just about every regard. Arsenal can afford to let Bellerin go because he is not a top player. He could be. He probably will be. But right now he isn’t and if we can fetch a fortune for a player that isn’t living up to expectations and does want to leave at some point anyway, why not cash in now and not risk him not living up to expectations?

After all, the Gunners are in a spot now where they really need to reevaluate everything. The only thin holding me back is that there aren’t many top quality right backs that we could bring in to replace him. There are options, sure, but none that excite like Bellerin’s potential. But if the only thing preventing a player from being disposable is the fact that there is no one else out there, then is that really the point?

If anything, it’s just been a rough season. But I do think that saying he is unsellable and of top quality is living a bit in the past. He has fallen down several rungs and until he starts to climb back up, I don’t see him as on the same level as some of our other top quality players. Which, mind you, is not that many.

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Obviously I want to keep Bellerin. But knowing what we know about his long term aspirations to leave, I can’t help but think that if – if – we can get a small fortune for him, then just cut the chord now.