Arsenal legend Nigel Winterburn has stated that he expects manager Mikel Arteta to make a change at right-back this summer.
The Gunners currently have Hector Bellerin in that position, but Winterburn feels it’s obvious that Arteta doesn’t seem that comfortable with his current options.
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The former Arsenal defender also addressed links with players like Achraf Hakimi and Tariq Lamptey, whilst also pointing to Bellerin’s links with former club Barcelona as a reason he could be on his way out of the Emirates Stadium.
“When you look at the switching of players in that position, you can see that Arteta isn’t comfortable with who he has so I expect that to be addressed in the summer,” Winterburn told GentingBet, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
“Arsenal have been linked with the likes of (Achraf) Hakimi and (Tariq) Lamptey. Whether they’re good enough or not for the club can only be decided once they’ve played 20-30 games. It doesn’t matter what they’ve achieved beforehand, they’re coming to a new league, club and environment so will need to prove themselves.
“I’m not sure of the reasons why Bellerin is in and out of the team. He’s obviously been struggling since the return from that big injury and he’s always had those links with Barcelona.
“The fact that Arsenal have been linked with players in his position suggest that either Bellerin is looking for his next opportunity at Barcelona or that Arteta isn’t happy with him in that role. I’d imagine it is a combination of both.”
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Arsenal fans will no doubt be concerned about a big name like Bellerin moving on, with the Spain international long being something of a fan-favourite among Gooners.
However, some will also surely feel a change is needed as Bellerin hasn’t really lived up to the potential he showed when he first broke into the team as a youngster.
The 25-year-old has admittedly had his fitness problems which could be contributing to that, but that still might be a good enough reason to move on and try someone else in that role.