Hector Bellerin signs for Barcelona
FT Desk
- Updated: 1 Sept 2022 23:22 BST
- 3 min read
Hector Bellerin has signed for Barcelona as a free agent, 11 years after leaving La Masia for Arsenal.
The Catalan club have confirmed that the player has signed a one-year deal at Camp Nou.
In a statement on their official website, they indicated: "FC Barcelona and Héctor Bellerín have reached an agreement to sign the player, after the defender terminated his contract with Arsenal Football Club.
"The player will sign a contract until 30 June 2023 and the buyout clause has been set at €50 million."
It has been reported that Arsenal will earn 20% of any future transfer fee Barca receive for Bellerin.
Barca's right-back saga over
Barca coach Xavi has been keen to sign a right-back for much of the summer, with Sergino Dest not trusted to the degree that Ronald Araujo has been getting used out of position to plug a gap.
The Catalans were previously interested in Juan Foyth and Thomas Meunier for the position, but Villarreal wanted too much money for Foyth while Borussia Dortmund were reluctant to let Meunier go so late in the window without a replacement lined up.
Bellerin arrives on a free transfer after his contract at Arsenal was terminated. He was the longest-serving player left at the Emirates, having first joined as a 16-year-old in 2011.
dreams come true 😏 pic.twitter.com/VZkVAbiY9S
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 1, 2022
Arsenal restructuring
While eight players, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, have seen their contracts rescinded in the last two years, Bellerin continued to have a positive working relationship with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
But he has stagnated after nearly 250 games with the Gunners, and spent last season on loan at Real Betis. Betis had wanted to make his move permanent, but they have been struggling with La Liga's financial regulations.
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As have Barca, but the Catalans are slowly pulling clear of their crippling debt which once stood at €1.3 billion, and Bellerin is facilitating the move by taking a significant reduction in his salary and signing for just one year.
Still one of the fastest players in the sport, Bellerin will provide Xavi with the attacking right-back he craves, as well as being another local boy in the dressing room once more.
Bellerin concludes his Arsenal career with nine goals and 29 assists from his 239 games in all competitions, during which time he also lifted the FA Cup three times.
