Report: Atletico Madrid Keen on Hector Bellerin, Will Offer Vitolo to Arsenal
June 21, 2019
Atletico Madrid are reportedly ready to make a move to sign Hector Bellerin from Arsenal this summer.
According to Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph, the Gunners are braced for a bid for their right-back from the Spanish capital and Atletico are said to be ready to offer Vitolo to Arsenal as part of the deal.
Law added that Arsenal valued Bellerin in the region of £50 million last summer amid interest from Juventus and despite having his 2018-19 season ruined by injury, his potential price for suitors has not been lowered.
"Despite the fact he is still recovering from a knee injury, Bellerin has emerged as one of Atletico's summer targets, with manager Diego Simeone keen to bolster his defence with a new right-back," said Law. "... Vitolo played for Sevilla under Emery and the pair won three Europa League titles together before Emery joined Paris Saint-Germain and Vitolo then signed for Atletico."
Atletico are set for a summer of major transition, with Diego Godin, Juanfran and Lucas Hernandez already confirmed to be leaving the club. Antoine Griezmann has also said publicly that he will depart, while according to Sky Sports News, Rodri has told Atletico he wants to move on, with Manchester City and Bayern Munich interested.
With that in mind, Simeone is set to have money to spend in the upcoming window, meaning Atletico would be able to bankroll a possible transfer for Bellerin.
On the field, the previous term was a frustrating one for the Arsenal defender, although his time away from the pitch have allowed him to explore other interests:
In total, the Spaniard only started 18 games for the Gunners in the top flight, with his previous appearance coming in the 2-0 win over Chelsea in January.
Without him on the field, Arsenal lack one of their key attacking assets. While Bellerin has defensive duties, his game is centred around his ability to burst forward into dangerous positions, as he possesses bundles of energy and searing speed on the overlap.
In his place, Arsenal had to rely on Ainsley Maitland-Niles to fill in, or use veteran Stephan Lichtsteiner; neither were capable of providing the same balance on the right side. Bellerin is also productive when he ventures into attacking positions:
Vitolo did thrive under Emery at Sevilla and it'd be intriguing to see the two link up again. When he was at his best, Vitolo's power, close control and goalscoring threat made him a difficult player to contain.
However, since leaving Sevilla he has found life tough at Atletico and last season he made a meagre five starts in La Liga. At 29 years old, he will surely be seeking a move and would jump at the chance to join Arsenal.
Even so, the Gunners will be reluctant to sell Bellerin, who still has so many years left ahead of him at 24. The chance to bring Vitolo, who appears past his best, to the Emirates Stadium is unlikely to change their minds.