3 Right-Back Options For Arsenal To Pursue If Hector Bellerin Leaves

We all know that Hector Bellerin’s name has entered into the shortlists of some of Europe’s top guns.

Inter Milan want to add him to their ranks but are fighting against La Liga duo, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.

Bellerin has underwhelmed since his return from injury but to fair, he was never fully fit. The Spaniard loss of pace along with no visible improvement on either end of the pitch makes it difficult to predict a secure future at North London. Ever since his debut in 2016, Bellerin has established himself as the starting right-back with no real competition behind him.

Carl Jenkinson and Mathieu Debuchy offered nothing in terms of pressure and last season, Stephan Lichtsteiner was simply a disaster. This has allowed the 25-year-old to slack off in terms of development which is why he has not won a single cap for Spain over the past four years. Arteta has a very direct plan in place which would require players to be technically proficient. While Bellerin did show promise early on, his improvement has stalled.

So, Arsenal have begun looking at different names to replace him, bringing in Cedric Soares as a short-term option in January. They should consider Youcef Atal of OGC Nice who has racked up 44 appearances this campaign. Speedy with a deft touch in him, Atal is a very attractive prospect to bring to the Premier League. He is comparable to Borussia Dortmund’s Achraf Hakimi, who Arsenal are also monitoring.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Thomas Meunier is an option since his contract expires in the summer. The Gunners came very close to signing him in 2018 under Unai Emery. Meunier might not be the paciest presence on the right but he makes up for it in defensive composure and accountability. He is a starter in the Belgium national side for a reason, working hard every time he steps up to the pitch.