Hector Bellerin reveals his delight at Takehiro Tomiyasu and Arsenal ‘doing great things’ after ‘understanding’ Mikel Arteta agreed to let him join boyhood club Real Betis
- Hector Bellerin is happy to see Gunners and right-back Tomiyasu do well
- The 26-year-old defender joined Real Betis on a season-long loan last summer
- The Spaniard said Mikel Arteta was very ‘understanding’ when he asked to leave
Hector Bellerin has spoken of his delight at right back Takehiro Tomiyasu helping fire Arsenal into the top four in the Premier League.
The 26-year-old defender joined his boyhood club Real Betis on a season-long loan on deadline day last summer after a decade in north London.
And although Bellerin faces an uncertain future when his current Arsenal contract ends in the summer, he does not hold any ill-feeling.
Defender Hector Bellerin joined Real Betis from Arsenal on a season-long loan last summer
Speaking on Ian Wright’s Spotify podcast ‘Wrighty’s House’, Bellerin said: ‘Arsenal are doing amazing and that makes me so happy. The player they got in my position – Tomiyasu – he is doing great. No hard feelings.
‘It is beautiful to see because I still watch every game and I want the guys to do well. It’s how football goes. You need to see when it is your time and when it is not.
‘I always said to the club if I leave this place I don’t want to leave you guys without anyone in my position or in a position when you guys can’t be in the best terms.
‘I want the best for all of us. I have been at Arsenal for 10 years and I love this place. It worked out for everyone and that’s what truly shows me it was the right thing to do.
Bellerin has been impressed with the impact of right-back Takehiro Tomiyas this season
‘It makes me happy to see the boys doing well.’
Bellerin joined Arsenal as a 15-year-old from Barcelona’s youth team and was a mainstay for almost a decade.
But he fell down the pecking order due to injury and loss of form and he asked Mikel Arteta to leave the Gunners.
He said: ‘I was lucky that Mikel is someone who is very understanding. Mikel knew it was nothing to do with football or the club.
The Spaniard said Mikel Arteta was very ‘understanding’ when he asked to leave the Gunners
‘As people we go through cycles and it’s not because I don’t want to play there anymore, it’s just because this isn’t helping any of us.
‘When I know that it’s not the place where I need to be at that time, nothing works and Mikel really understood that. He knows everything I’ve gone through at Arsenal, my injuries, every single episode.
‘I was very lucky that I could be open with him and we could have a talk where he understood fully. He said, “I want to help you”. Not just as a coach but as a friend.’
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