Transfer News: Hector Bellerin returns to Barcelona after a long Arsenal legacy

LaLiga reported on Thursday that Hector Bellerin has re-signed with Barcelona following his contract termination with Arsenal.

 

Since this is not a straightforward contract termination, Arsenal has agreed to let Bellerin, who had one year left on his deal, join Barcelona on a free transfer.

 

If Barcelona decides to sell the defender in the future, Arsenal has a sell-on provision in the agreement that would allow them to recoup some of their investment at no cost to themselves.

 

Bellerin joined Arsenal from Barcelona in 2011 when he was 16 years old and was the club's longest-serving player.

 

After more than a decade in north London, he decided he needed a change of scenery and spent last season on loan with Real Betis, where he scored 15 goals in 308 appearances.

 

Betis were interested in signing Bellerin permanently, but the club's registration concerns with LaLiga have not been resolved.

Bellerin's agents have been in talks with Barcelona for the past few weeks after failing to reach an agreement with Betis over the 27-year-exorbitant old's wage.

The Premier League has reached mutually agreeable terminations in the previous two years with eight players, including Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Willian.

Bellerin's positive rapport with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta survived some rocky patches that were caused, at least in part, by friction within the team.

It has been reported that Bellerin represented the players' interests when the club requested a salary reduction from the first-team squad for the 2020 season due to the financial impact of COVID-19.

How did Hector Bellerin fare at Arsenal?

Bellerin signed with Arsenal in July of 2011 and has since made 239 appearances for the first team, during which time he has won the FA Cup three times and the FA Community Shield twice. Furthermore, he has played for Spain at every level, from the U-16s to the senior side, including the Euro 2016 tournament.

Born in Barcelona, the defender (now 27) began his career at the Barca Academy. He then moved to Arsenal when he was 16 and signed his first professional deal in 2012.

He debuted for the first time in the League Cup that September, and later that year, he went on loan to Watford of the Championship to get more game time.

Bellerin quickly matured into a powerful fullback and had a breakout season in 2013–14, culminating with his inclusion in the starting lineup for the FA Cup Final triumph over Aston Villa. For the 2015–16 season, he was selected to the Premier League's Best XI.

Bellerin's loan stint with Real Betis was fruitful, as he established himself as a starter and helped the team win the Copa del Rey last season.

Bellerin may make his debut this weekend if Barcelona beats Sevilla. The club will begin preparing for the upcoming Champions League season, which will kick off with a group round matchup against Viktoria Plzen.