Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin is close to finalising a loan switch to La Liga side Real Betis, according to multiple reports in the English media.
The 26-year-old is said to be already in Spain undergoing a medical, with the player keen on the switch as he is a boyhood Betis fan.
Supporters on Twitter can’t understand why the Gunners are allowing Bellerin to leave on loan, rather than selling the player to raise funds for other transfers:
No one wants to buy our players?
— ??????? (@AfcGabeast) August 31, 2021
You know the answer when players don’t care about money just to get away from the club
— nitin (@unitin) August 31, 2021
..on loan….
Why bother then?— Ronan McHugh (@GunnerRaider) August 31, 2021
Why is all our players leaving on loan, we need the cash sell them
— Dean (@Arsenal_colufan) August 31, 2021
Most clubs loan players out to see if they can improve. We loan players out to see if they are suitable for a second loan and then let them walk away for peanuts
— John Boy (@johnboycullen) August 31, 2021
What is the actual point of getting rid of HB. He is better than Cedric and Chambers?
— Craig Smith (@Craig011011) August 31, 2021
Because a loan does nothing helpful long term. If he’s sold the money can be used for a replacement. If he’s loaned, we lose a player but have nothing to replace him with.
— Liam Mulvey (@liamjmulvey) August 31, 2021
Yet another loan. Why are arsenal so bad with departing players. Either loans or frees or tearing up contracts. Awful business
— Nathan Pattimore (@gsytrigger) August 31, 2021
Arsenal have already lined up a replacement in Bologna’s Takehiro Tomiyasu. At the time of writing, a fee has not been agreed for the Japanese international but reports in recent weeks have suggested that his club won’t let him leave for less than €20m (£17m).
If the defender does arrive at the Emirates before the transfer deadline this evening, it would take the Gunners’ spending for the summer to £150m, with many fans asking whether the club have made the right decisions in the market.