Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has told Football.London that Hector Bellerin is available to play against Slavia Prague tonight.
Arteta was quizzed on just why Bellerin hasn’t been playing lately, with some wanting to know whether there was a specific reason why he has dropped out of the reckoning.
The Arsenal boss claimed that Bellerin’s recent exile has simply been down to giving Calum Chambers a chance at right back, as he has offered something different to the Gunners side.
Arteta did confirm that Bellerin is available to play against Slavia tonight, but whether or not he actually features is another matter entirely.
“No, it’s because of the decisions that we’ve made,” said Arteta. “He’s played a lot more this season than he has done in the last two seasons that’s for sure.”
“Sometimes we have to rest him, sometimes we want to give chances as well to Cedric and to Calum, that in recent weeks he was completely free to offer something different to the team and that’s it. But he’s fully fit, available and in contention to play and start games,” he added.
Bellerin, 26, hasn’t played in a Premier League game since the 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City in February.
He hasn’t appeared at all since the 1-0 loss to Olympiacos last month, and some now wonder whether Bellerin’s long association with Arsenal is ultimately drawing to its close.
Calciomercato reported on Wednesday that Bellerin has been given the green light to seek a move away this summer, having held talks with the Gunners recently.
Juventus, Inter, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are thought to be keen on Bellerin, and if he is just going to sit on the Arsenal bench, then a summer deal may be well be best for all parties.
Let’s see what tonight holds for Bellerin first though.
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