Latest Arsenal News
Arsenal stalwart Hector Bellerin to seek transfer as Gunners line up two potential replacements
Arsenal stalwart Hector Bellerin to seek transfer as Gunners line up two potential replacements
A new right-back could be top of Arsenal’s transfer wish list this summer
Hector Bellerin is ready to test himself away from Arsenal and will look to leave the club this summer with the Gunners already lining up potential replacements, according to reports. The 25-year-old, who has been at the Emirates since leaving Barcelona’s youth team in 2011, has long been linked with a return to Camp Nou while the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have been touted as potential destinations in the past. And now, after a decade with Arsenal, it appears Bellerin is ready for a fresh challenge with CBS Sports claiming the long-serving right-back will push for a move away.
Bellerin has been at Arsenal since 2011 and is keen for a new challenge.
The Gunners successfully fended off interest from PSG for Bellerin last summer, with manager Mikel Arteta convincing him to stay and be part of his project at the north London club.
But with Arsenal marooned in tenth place in the Premier League table and unlikely to be playing Champions League football once again next season, Bellerin’s hopes of winning silverware are likely to be best served elsewhere.
The Spaniard will only have two years left on his contract come the summer and Arsenal have not entered into talks over a new deal. Instead, the Gunners’ hierarchy appear to be bracing themselves for Bellerin’s departure and have already identified two right-backs who could replace him in the squad.
The first is Norwich City’s Max Aarons, who has enjoyed another excellent season in the Championship and looks set to be promoted straight back to the top flight, with the Canaries sticking a £35million price tag on his head when Bayern Munich approached them in January.
Aarons is on the radar of a host of Premier League and European giants
The second option on Arsenal’s shortlist is Brighton’s diminutive right-back Tariq Lamptey, formerly of Chelsea, who excelled at the start of the season but has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since the end of last year.
Lamptey
According to CBS Sports, PSG are expected to revive their interest in Bellerin this summer with new boss Mauricio Pochettino a firm admirer of the Arsenal man despite their differing north London loyalties. Bellerin is one of several players at Arsenal whose contract expires in the next two years, with Reiss Nelson likely to be offloaded if a suitable offer is received.
The Premier League has claimed that Arsenal were denied a penalty against Burnley because Erik Pieters was in ‘close proximity’ to Nicolas Pepe.
The Gunners were forced to settle for a point at Turf Moor after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s early opener was cancelled out by Chris Wood, who benefitted from a huge mistake by Granit Xhaka.
However, Arsenal felt aggrieved in the 75th minute when Pepe’s touch inside Burnley’s box led the ball to hit Pieters’ outstretched arm, but Mikel Arteta’s side were not awarded a penalty following a VAR review.
Earlier this week, Fulham were involved in a similar incident as Mario Lemina was penalised for handball in the build-up to their disallowed goal against Tottenham.
But in a statement after the game, the Premier League clarified why Arsenal were not given the decision.
‘The ball has hit him from close proximity and he’s had no time to react,’ said the statement. ‘It wasn’t given on-field and the VAR didn’t think it was a clear error.’
No penalty on this play. Nicolas Pépé pleading for a handball from Erik Pieters. VAR was consulted, but no penalty was given. #BURARS pic.twitter.com/trEKckPW4J
— Fair Advantage (@FairAdvantageCA) March 6, 2021
Arteta, meanwhile, was left in no doubt that his side should have been awarded a penalty. ‘Absolutely,’ the Arsenal manager said after the game.
‘I think it is obvious and clear. I think there is no debate about that. ‘If that’s not a penalty, then someone will explain what a penalty is in this league.’
Latest Arsenal News
Just In: Xhaka apologizes to Arsenal Fans for his costly mistake against Burnley
Granit Xhaka is full of remorse for his horrendous display that led to Burnley goal, that cost Arsenal 2 points today.
He has come to apologize to Arsenal fans via his Official Facebook Page:
It’s class from him.
Granit Xhaka gifted Burnley an equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal, in a match which also saw Erik Pieters’ red card and an Arsenal penalty overturned by VAR.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang put Arsenal in control with an early finish that snuck through the grasp of Nick Pope (6). However, with Arsenal cruising and Burnley struggling, Xhaka inexplicably decided to play a pass across his own six-yard box which deflected off Chris Wood’s hip and into the unguarded net (39).
5 – Willian has more Premier League assists than any other Arsenal player this season (5), assisting in consecutive matches in the competition for the first time since March 2019 for Chelsea. Arrived. #BURARS pic.twitter.com/fzg5mQJ9hi
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 6, 2021
The game seemed to be meandering towards an uneventful conclusion but then sparked into life in the final 10 minutes.
Arsenal felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Pieters looked to have handled in the area but VAR did not deem it a clear and obvious error. Pieters – in the thick of the action – was then dismissed by referee Andre Marriner and a penalty was awarded when the defender deflected a Nicolas Pepe effort onto the crossbar. However, VAR showed that the block had come off his shoulder and Burnley had a reprieve.
8 – Since the start of 2016-17, Granit Xhaka has made more errors leading to goals (8) than any other outfield player in the Premier League. Disaster. #BURARS pic.twitter.com/VAzt53Z9sV
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 6, 2021
Arsenal still managed to create one last chance in injury-time but Dani Ceballos curled an effort off the foot of the post as Burnley managed to hold on.
Player Ratings
Burnley: Pope (6), Lowton (6), Tarkowski (7), Mee (7), Taylor (6), Brownhill (6), Westwood (6), Gudmundsson (6), McNeil (5), Vydra (7), Wood (6)
Subs: Pieters (7), Brady (6), Rodriguez (6)
Arsenal: Leno (7), Chambers (6), Tierney (7), Luiz (7), Mari (7), Xhaka (4), Partey (6), Saka (7), Odegaard (6), Willian (6), Aubameyang (7)
Subs: Pepe (7), Lacazette (6), Ceballos (6)
Man of the match: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
5 – Burnley have drawn five consecutive home league games for the third time in their history, after a run of six games ending in April 1936 and a run of five ending in October 1997. Eventful. #BURARS pic.twitter.com/a3GEEnVFpx
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 6, 2021
Opta stats
- Burnley have enjoyed just one win in their last 10 games in all competitions (D5 L4), after winning three in a row directly before that.
- Arsenal have kept only one clean sheet in their last 11 games in all competitions (0-0 v Man Utd in January), after keeping five in a row directly before that.
- Willian has provided an assist in each of his last three games for Arsenal in all competitions (3 in total), as many as he registered in his previous 25 for the club, while he is the Gunners’ top assister in the Premier League this season (5).
- Only Cesc Fabregas (18y & 236d) reached 50 Premier League appearances for Arsenal at a younger age than Bukayo Saka (19y & 182d), who played his 50th game today.
- Pope played his 100th Premier League game for Burnley, the 11th player to hit that milestone for the club.
-
Latest Arsenal News15 hours agoEnglish FA explains why Arsenal were denied penalty against Burnley
-
Post-Match Analysis3 days agoMatch Facts: Liverpool 0 vs 1 Chelsea
-
Latest Arsenal News2 days agoEmiliano Martinez says he loves everything about Arsenal but admits he never felt trusted by Mikel Arteta
-
Latest Arsenal News4 days agoBreaking: Mikel Arteta reveals Arsenal are preparing for ‘unprecedented’ summer transfer window
-
Latest Arsenal News16 hours agoJust In: Xhaka apologizes to Arsenal Fans for his costly mistake against Burnley
-
Latest Arsenal News6 days agoNews Flash: Emile Smith Rowe injury update
-
Latest Arsenal News3 days agoJust In: Ashley Cole figures out Maitland-Niles’ main ‘problem’ at Arsenal
-
Latest Arsenal News1 day agoLineup Confirmed; Burnley vs Arsenal