Arsenal Identify Hector Bellerin Replacement Amid Exit Talk

Arsenal have sounded out their ideal replacement for Hector Bellerin.

Come winter or summer, Hector Bellerin is linked with a move away from Arsenal. It usually involves Barcelona.

Guess who has been linked with a move for the Spaniard this time?

A rumour that’s been around for and age has reared its head once more, the hook this time being that the frontrunner for the presidency at Barcelona, Joan Laporta, is a huge fan of Bellerin and wants to make him one of his first signings upon winning the election.

This was the news coming out of the Sunday Mirror, with further developments since emerging. It’s been claimed that contact has been made with the full-back in a deal that Arsenal are demanding around £22m for, however, Bellerin does not want to force an exit and will at least see out the season with the Gunners.

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Barça’s elections won’t take place until January so any deal would be more likely to occur in the summer anyway, and as all good clubs do, contingency plans are being made should the 25-year-old ever leave north London in the future.

Hence why Arsenal have sounded out Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey as their number one replacement.

Bellerin has come under flak this season, almost as much as he’s received praise. As Mikel Arteta‘s side began to falter in the Premier League, this coincided with some poor displays from a number of senior members of the squad.

Picking out one particular player for is unjust as the torrid run of seven matches without victory fell on the shoulders of the entire team, although Bellerin’s form undoubtedly tailed off. Some rather rash calls for him to be sold off the back of those limp outings were unjust, especially considering how well he’d performed not a few weeks ago.

The reality remains that he is one of Arsenal’s biggest assets. In order to inject some cash into the rebuilding fund, it’s a sale that may need to be considered.