La Masia graduate
Héctor Bellerín has completed a dramatic deadline day transfer to former club Barcelona, after having his contract terminated by Arsenal. In an announcement by La Liga late on Thursday evening, the defender was confirmed as a new signing by the Catalan side, after Arsenal agreed to cut him free from his obligations with the Premier League side.
With a market value of €20 million, Bellerín still had one year left on his deal with Arsenal but it now seems as though both parties were intent on making sure the defender departed for a new club before the window came to a close. The Spanish defender struggled for game time at the club since Mikel Arteta took over the reins at Arsenal and opted for a loan move to Betis last season, where he picked up five assists in 32 games across all competitions.
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The player had his wish of being released from his contract granted just in time to complete a move to Barcelona, where Bellerín initially came through as a youth prospect, before joining Arsenal in 2011 for €500k. Such a move now reunites Bellerín with his former club for the first time in 11 years and perhaps offers the defender an opportunity to get his career back on track at the highest level.
BREAKING NEWS!
¡@HectorBellerin, nuevo jugador del @FCBarcelona_es!#LaLigaSantander#LaLigaTransfers pic.twitter.com/f9gS0oqLoy
— LaLiga (@LaLiga) September 1, 2022
Bellerín will likely prove to be a smart signing for Barcelona, who have spent much of the summer being linked with a number of right-backs over the course of the transfer window. Although the Arsenal talent will make the move to Spain for free, he’ll join a roster of new players that includes the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Koundé among others, which will end up costing Barcelona no less than €153m in transfer fees.
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