Arsenal: There is only one place Hector Bellerin is allowed to go

Arsenal are facing questions regarding the future of Hector Bellerin, but should he leave, there is really one place he is allowed to go, and it’s not Manchester United.

Hector Bellerin has been a golden prospect for years with Arsenal, ever since he broke through and forced the then-French No. 1 rightback Mathieu Debuchy into an unwilling and premature exile.

There were times when he openly said that if Barcelona called, he would hang up. He was young, impulsive, and maybe he just wanted to please the fans.

But that tune has changed lately, as Bellerin, fashionista that he is, has been flirting with the idea of returning to Barcelona and getting that position that the Catalan club never gave him the chance to achieve.

Hence why Arsenal got him in the first place.

This year, things have been different. Bellerin has not been that indispensable presence that he has been in the past and, speaking for myself but I imagine many others as well, I no longer see him the way I once did – as this untouchable member of the team.

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Bellerin’s shortcomings this year are all part of the growing process, granted, but our inability to challenge him for that position has been one of the biggest problems. Which is why I have started to come to terms with his departure.

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The simple fact is that it is going to happen at some point, so why not sell him when he’s at his peak value?

However, there is a caveat to my acceptance of his departure – it can’t be to fricking Manchester United.

Bellerin was outspoken about his desire to play in Spain some day after talking up his praise of Arsene Wenger and Arsenal for giving him this fantastic chance. You don’t say those things and then bugger off to a rival. That makes you a snake.

The only – only place that Bellerin should be allowed to go is back to Spain. That is the only thing that has ever gotten in the way of his career trajectory with the Gunners. I could be a real hard-arse and say that he is only allowed to go to Barcelona, but if he goes to Real Madrid, honestly, I don’t care.

He just can’t go to United. Or City. Or any of those horrible places where we’ll have to see him all the time.

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Of course, I have no authority to tell him where he can or cannot go, I’m just speaking in the interests of him not setting himself up to be a snake for the rest of his life.