He called me” – Robert Pires shares the advice he gave Hector Bellerin before swaping Arsenal for Real Betis
Robert Pires, an Arsenal great, has stated that he spoke with Hector Bellerin prior to the Spaniard’s loan move to Real Betis.
Bellerin, 27, had been a staple in Arsenal’s lineup since breaking into the senior squad.
However, in the later stages of his stay at the Emirates Stadium, the former Barcelona academy defender struggled to find first-team appearances.
He would later be pursued by Real Betis in La Liga, and Pires has disclosed his role in advising Bellerin to make the transfer.
Pires told LiveScore (via Metro):
“Hector Bellerin has had a good impact at Real Betis. He’s a professional. For him at the end with Arsenal, it was difficult to find a position, so he chose to join LaLiga, especially Real Betis.”
“He called me and asked me about the manager, Manuel Pellegrini, who was my manager at Villarreal. I said Hector, look, if you have the opportunity to play with Pellegrini you need to go, because you will enjoy it.”
Since joining Betis, the right-back has established himself as a regular under Pellegrini.
He has made 29 appearances for Los Verdiblancos and is enjoying his time in Spain, where he is handed a regular starting spot.
With Mikel Arteta undergoing a massive overhaul of the Gunners, the time has come for Bellerin to split ways.
He had been Arsenal’s first-choice right-back for many years, but he was losing form and drawing criticism from fans.
At Betis, he has established himself as a key member of the squad and will aim to make his loan move permanent (as per Football London).
After a decade in the Premier League, the Spaniard has returned to his native country and appears to have turned things around.
Meanwhile, Arsenal has signed Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has performed admirably when he has been available. However, his availability has been a problem, since injury issues have impeded his progress.
Cedric Soares has done excellently in his absence, but it is possible that another right-back will be brought in to provide further insurance. Dodo, a right-back for Shakhtar Donetsk, has been mentioned.
According to UOL in Brazil (via Football London), the north London club, Bayern Munich, and Bournemouth are all interested in signing the Brazilian.
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He called me” – Robert Pires shares the advice he gave Hector Bellerin before swaping Arsenal for Real Betis
