Ian Wright has admitted that he is ‘so sad’ to see Hector Bellerin leave Arsenal.
Toward the end of the transfer window, the Gunners terminated Bellerin’s contract in a development which allowed him to rejoin Barcelona on a Bosman.
The Spain international joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old under Arsene Wenger way back in 2011.
And even though Mikel Arteta never demonstrated much intention to use him as right-back, that position was his own in North London for a number of years under Wenger and later Unai Emery.
The 27-year-old picked up more than his fair share of injuries throughout his career at Arsenal.
And Wright has admitted that he’s devastated to see him leave and wants to see him happy at Camp Nou again.
He told The Wrighty House podcast: “He’s one of the great ones I think, for us (Arsenal), in respect of a club servant and the way he was. The injuries took their toll on him, that knee, that was a horrible one. I really, really am so sad to see him go. You just want him to be happy, I want him to have happiness, he deserves it.”
Bellerin leaving Arsenal made complete sense.
Even Takehiro Tomiyasu, Arteta’s first-choice option at right-back last season, might have a difficult time wrestling his place back from Ben White going forward.
White, a central defender, has been an ever-present figure in Arsenal winning five successive Premier League games this season.
There was no way Bellerin had any chance of playing even somewhat regularly with Tomiyasu and White ahead of him in the pecking order, particularly with Arteta seemingly not rating the player all that highly.
A departure makes sense and hopefully he can continue rebuilding his career at Barcelona.
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