Arsenal in talks with Inter over £17m Hector Bellerin transfer

Arsenal are at the stage of the window where player sales have become the priority as Mikel Arteta tries to accrue as much money as possible in order launch a meaningful assault on the the transfer market.

Having so far only managed to move one player from the senior squad on in Konstantinos Mavropanos, that loan with a potential obligation to buy has barely scratched the surface of what needs doing.

The amount of departures could go well into double figures this summer. Arteta’s squad needs trimming to match a season without European football and regardless of how much finance there is available to him in the undisclosed budget, it will nonetheless have to be supplemented with sales.

Ben White is closing in on a £50m move from Brighton while Albert Sambi Lokonga’s move from Anderlecht is ‘just a matter of time‘. Those deals are likely to cost Arsenal around £65m combined and given there is a lot more to do, the departure lounge needs emptying quickly to free up space and finance.

Arsenal in talks with Inter over £17m Hector Bellerin transfer on initial loan move with option to buy in summer window

Hector Bellerin is certain to be on one of the flights out.

It’s been known for six months that this point was coming. A wonderful servant to the football club and the best representative of Arsenal that anyone could ask for, all stories have their ending and Bellerin’s time with the Gunners will be up this summer.

Mutually agreed that it’s time to part ways, this window is all about finding a buyer and garnering as much money as feasible. As per Gianluca Di Marzio and Sky Italia journalist Matteo Moretto, that appears to be Inter.

With Achraf Hakimi set to leave for Paris Saint-Germain for no less than £60m, Simone Inzaghi is in need of a replacement and Bellerin has risen to the top of the club’s wishlist with contact already being made with the Spaniard’s agent to secure a move.

The deal, should Arsenal accept, would be an initial loan with an option to buy. The Gunners value Bellerin at €20m (£17m) and with the way the market is, that would be an excellent deal. Realistically, were it not for the crippled finances across Europe then the 25-year-old could fetch more, but as it stands it would constitute very good business at that fee.

Of course, questions will be asked as to why it isn’t a permanent deal, especially given the rather inviting £60m injection from Hakimi’s sale. An option to buy does absolutely nothing for Arsenal and any mention of a deal like that, however, is out of the question. There is nothing to gain.

12 months somewhere else with no fee only to return and have one year left on his contract? It would be remarkably dumb for Arsenal to sanction that.

However, as followed up by Chris Wheatley, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are also circling around Bellerin’s signature which raises hopes of Arsenal getting the sum they desire and forcing the likes of Inter to offer a more intriguing deal.