Hector Bellerin: I Promised Not To Leave Arsenal Until Replacement Was Found, Tomiyasu Is Great

Hector Bellerin details his amicable departure from Arsenal…

Arsenal loanee Hector Bellerin detailed that he left the club last summer on amicable terms and even waited until a replacement was found before finalising his loan move to Real Betis, the Spaniard told the Wrighty’s House podcast.

Bellerin told Ian Wright that after honest conversations with Mikel Arteta in 2020 as the club resumed football following the first lockdown, the right-back expressed a desire to return home.

The former La Masia product has been at the club since the age of 15 and had always stated that he viewed London as his home.

However, after a few moments in his life, which started around the time of his serious knee injury, Bellerin explained that he felt a sense of unhappiness.

The 26-year-old praised Arteta’s endeavour to find him a solution and Bellerin reciprocated those feelings, with the full-back stating he didn’t commit to a move until the club found a replacement.

Eventually, Bellerin joined Betis on deadline day while the club signed Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna.

“I was lucky that Mikel is someone who is very understanding. Mikel knew it was nothing to do with football or the club,” Bellerin told club legend, Ian Wright.

“I was very lucky that I could be open with him and we could have a talk where he understood fully. He said, “I want to help you”. Not just as a coach but as a friend.

“The respect we have as people is there and I was very happy that Arsenal gave me the opportunity to let me find what I was looking for,” he added.

Bellerin is delighted that the club is thriving despite his departure and that they were in a position to bring Tomiyasu in, a player who’s quickly become a fan favourite.

“Arsenal are doing amazing and that makes me so happy. The player they got in my position is doing great,” he stated.

“There’s literally no hard feelings for me. It’s beautiful to see because I watch every single game and I want the guys to do well.

“It’s just how football goes. You need to see what’s best for you and the club.

“I always say to the club, if I leave this place, I don’t want to leave you guys without, for example, anyone in my position, or in a position when you guys are not in the best terms.”

“I want the best for all of us because I’ve been here for 10 years and I love this place. It’s worked out for everyone and that’s what shows me it was the right thing to do.”

Interestingly, Bellerin continues to refer to Arsenal in the past tense despite his move to Betis being a straightforward loan.

One imagines that all parties expect that the Hale End graduate has played his last game for the club.