Arsenal ‘make Hector Bellerin U-turn’ as Mikel Arteta makes final transfer decision

Bellerin fell out of favour under Arteta last season, featuring in just three of Arsenal’s final 13 Premier League games, and has looked likely to depart the Gunners for much of the summer

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Hector Bellerin: All you need to know about Inter Milan-linked star

Arsenal have made yet another U-turn over the future of Hector Bellerin, with Mikel Arteta reportedly making a final decision on the right-back.

Bellerin has looked likely to leave for most of the summer transfer window, but it was believed that the Gunners’ demands were too much for his leading suitors Inter Milan.

The Spaniard gradually fell out of favour under Arteta last season, making just three appearances in the final 13 games of their Premier League campaign.

Instead, Bukayo Saka, Calum Chambers and Cedric Soares moved ahead of the 26-year-old in the pecking order as his playing time waned.

Mikel Arteta has made a final decision on the future of Hector Bellerin

With just two years remaining on his current contract, the expectation was that Bellerin would be leaving the Emirates Stadium this summer.

The Gunners have struggled to find suitors for him though, with Serie A champions Inter and La Liga side Real Betis the only clubs consistently linked.

A move to the San Siro appeared to be the most likely destination for the right-back, but the Gunners resisted Inter’s attempts to merely bring him in on loan.

They had instead made it clear that they would only be considering offers that would be Bellerin depart permanently.

But their first U-turn with the 26-year-old came over the weekend, when it was revealed that the Gunners were set to hand him a new contract.

According to The Guardian, technical director Edu met Bellerin’s representatives last week to inform them of Arsenal ’s new plan.

That appeared to signal an increased chance that Bellerin would instead be staying in north London with an opportunity to fight his way back into Arteta’s plans.

But Arsenal have now made yet another U-turn on their right-back’s future, with a move to Inter back on the cards.

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Bellerin has looked set to leave Arsenal for much of the summer window (

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That is because Sky Sport Italia report that the Premier League side are now open to allowing Bellerin to depart on loan.

Inter’s dire financial circumstances meant that a loan move was their only possible option to bring in Bellerin, with the Italian champions forced to cut their spending this summer.

It seems that Arsenal are finally ready to recognise the Nerazzurri’s financial limits, with the Gunners signalling they will accept a loan deal containing an option to buy.

According to the report, it is expected that this would become an obligation to buy if Bellerin hits certain conditions during the upcoming season.

Bellerin is said to be eager to make the move to the San Siro and showcase his talents in Serie A following a decade at Arsenal across both their youth and senior teams.

Inter require a new right-back having seen Achraf Hakimi join Paris Saint-Germain in a £52million move earlier in the window.

Their current first choice to replace Hakimi is believed to be Nahitan Nandez, but talks with Cagliari over a potential deal are stalling.

That will give hope to Bellerin, who can expect to see his game time severely limited at Arsenal this season.

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