According to Football.London, Bayern Munich have joined the race to sign Hector Bellerin. The Arsenal right-back is tipped to leave Emirates this summer with the Gunners keen on balancing the books to undergo a potential squad overhaul. He has already been courted by Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, but recent interest from the European champions could serve as a significant blow for the two clubs.
Hector Bellerin’s Downfall at Arsenal
Three or four years ago, Bellerin was widely regarded as one of Europe’s hottest prospects. He was lauded for his pace and athleticism, as well as the consistency at the highest level of football. That has changed in recent years, however, particularly due to an unfortunate injury record.
Indeed, Bellerin’s initial downfall at Emirates began during the end of 2018, when he picked up a calf strain which was followed by an ACL injury. It kept him out on the sidelines for almost nine months, and his performances haven’t been the same since.
The Spanish international has been used in a more conservative role over the past couple of years. Even in terms of his performances on the pitch, the player has lacked positional discipline, often leaving spaces in behind when moving forward.
Bellerin’s game has improved, to an extent, under current manager Mikel Arteta and he is also still regarded as one of Arsenal’s top players. But, it would be ignorant of Bayern Munich to overlook an obvious decline in performances and fitness over the past couple of years.
An Expensive Option
There is no doubt that Bellerin is one of the most expensive right-backs in the Premier League, not only in terms of valuation but also when it comes to wages.
The 25-year-old reportedly bags almost £6 million per year at Arsenal, making him the highest-paid defensive player at the club. In fact, Bellerin’s expensive wage demands might be one of the reasons why the Gunners are not entirely reluctant on keeping hold of the player this summer.
Bayern Munich, therefore, could face a similar problem. The Spaniard could easily become one of the highest earners at Allianz Arena, which doesn’t bode well, especially for a player who is likely to play second fiddle to Benjamin Pavard.
The Bavarians had already taken a considerable risk by signing Philippe Coutinho last summer as the Brazilian was earning almost double the wages of some of the key members of the team. It would, therefore, be unwise for the Bundesliga champions to pursue Bellerin, not only because of his salary but also due to a poor injury record.
