Hector Bellerin established himself as one of the most electrifying young right-backs in the world last season, and he says the fact that he did it at Arsenal and not Barcelona is in large part due to Arsene Wenger.
For those needing a refreshing for who Hector Bellerin is, he scored this goal against Liverpool last spring.
That goal set the tone for a 4-1 victory over the Reds last spring, and a highlight amidst a season good performances for Bellerin.
Arsene Wenger has seen what Bellerin can offer to his team, and now he is planning on locking up the services of the young Spaniard for the next few years.
“Hector has demonstrated that he is a focused and mature player and will be a key player for the club,” Wenger has said.
Bellerin is about to get paid, and it is a great it is a great sign for him. He came up through Barcelona’s youth ranks, and the new contract shows that he made the right call when valuing the managerial acumen of Arsene Wenger over staying at Barcelona.
"If I'd wanted to play [at Barca], I would have stayed there in the first place," Bellerin said recently. "The fact that I came to Arsenal means that I want to play here.”
"The idea of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League was a real attraction, but it was the idea of working for Arsene Wenger which really sold the idea to me.”
"He told me that if I worked hard and made the right progression then I could play for the first team. He showed faith in me and I am happy I have been able to justify his trust."
Clearly, the pull of a manager that is willing to invest in young players is still strong enough to fight back against forces that many find irresistible: money, or the opportunity to simply play for the biggest club possible.
There is no denying that Barcelona is a bigger club than Arsenal. It is not hard to imagine Bellerin would have either stayed at Barca or chose a different club were it not for the presence of Wenger at Arsenal.
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