Arsenal earn fresh Hector Bellerin interest from Spanish giants

Hector Bellerin is still an Arsenal player, but for how much longer? While his departure has been heavily mooted since the turn of the year, it’s been an eventuality that has hung over his head for much longer than that.

So what about Real Betis? Turns out he is a boyhood Verdiblancos supporter, courtesy of his dad, and so far no club has been as strongly linked with signing the 26-year-old than them. There is just one teeny-tiny problem in their case: they’re broke.

Wanting him on loan with the option to buy does not, in any way shape or form, benefit Arsenal. Bellerin is one of the few members of the current squad who could accrue a tidy fee, thus any advances in the form of temporary deals have been rightly batted away.

ABC Sevilla report that Betis understand the complexity of such a transfer and will bide their time until the latter stages of the window when a deal is more ‘favourable’. In other words, Arsenal become desperate.

Arsenal earn fresh Hector Bellerin interest from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window

Preferably not. Which is why it’s welcome news to hear Atletico Madrid have thrown their hat into the ring, as per Marca.

Diego Simeone is said to be a long-term admirer of Bellerin and is not confident enough having Sime Vrsaljko as his current backup option. Bringing the right-back in wouldn’t only be as a reserve option, however, as he would provide competition for current first choice Kieran Trippier and potentially even as an outright replacement.

Trippier has just won La Liga with Los Rojiblancos but resides in Spain while his family remain in England, and has just signed up to England-based agency Base Soccer Agency which adds fuel to the speculation of a potential Manchester United move.

Ignoring the former Sp*rs defender, Atletico could provide Arsenal and Bellerin with a welcome solution to what will be an inevitable cutting of ties.

Discussions have already been held with the player and his representatives and it’s felt he would fit perfectly into Simeone’s style. At this stage Arsenal just need to make some money on his sale. If it’s somewhere that suits Bellerin and provides him with regular minutes (and European football) then even better.

Whether Atletico pay what Arsenal are after remains to be seen. The Gunners are hardly in their good books after the Thomas Partey late show, although hopefully Lucas Torreira’s loan softened the blow. Maybe.