Having mixed some scintillating performances with some below averages ones, Hector Bellerin’s struggles for consistency have seen him endure a challenging 2017/2018 season.
There’s no doubting when at his best, he’s right up there with the finest full-backs in the world. But silly lapses of concentration and unnecessary errors have hindered him this term, which is certainly also the case for so many of his Arsenal teammates.
“At the beginning, I was someone who was doing really well,” he explained in an interview with Mr.Porter. “Then when things started going not that well, everything was just negative, negative, negative.
“As a team, if you don’t have the best season, it doesn’t help…It’s been a tough one. We were doing well until November. We always have that period where we suffer a little bit. As a team, the most important thing is results. If you can win beautifully like [Manchester] City do – even better.”
Despite his tumultuous campaign, this hasn’t stopped transfer speculation whirring in earnest, for at 23, and with so much quality and massive scope for improvement still, he’s certainly a desirable commodity for many of European football’s heavy hitters. Former club Barcelona have been linked, as have Juventus and Manchester United, but Bellerin’s recent comments on the topic suggest he’s content to stay with the Gunners for now.
“I don’t know what to say – football always changes. I’m so happy here. This has been my home for seven years. I sound like a Londoner, my friends are from London – it’s the place I want to be right now,” he insisted.
“In the future, you never know. Obviously, I grew up in Barcelona, and when I watch them play I want them to win. The team are always going to be in my heart.”
The aforementioned words will be music to the ears of the Arsenal faithful, as keeping the Spaniard would be a real boost for the team heading into life without Arsene Wenger. Plus, even though he hasn’t had an ideal crusade, it’s extremely difficult to find top class calibre right-backs such as he.
Having also requested to wear the number two jersey for 2018/2019, this only further adds to the belief that he’ll stay, which, all in all, can only be seen as a massive positive as Arsenal head into a fascinating new era.
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