Arsenal veteran Santi Cazorla has warned the club against losing right-back Hector Bellerin as a number of clubs circle - with Barcelona and Manchester City being linked with the young defender in recent weeks.
Spain international Cazorla toldIBTimes UKthat the Gunners would be making a mistake if they allowed his young countryman to leave the Emirates, calling him the 'right-back of the future' after a strong start to the season.
Had a chat with Santi Cazorla about his future and why #Arsenal cannot afford to lose Hector Bellerin #afc https://t.co/aZyGyELRps
Speaking after the weekend's win over Swansea City, Cazorla said:"We'll see [what happens with Hector]. It is clear that Hector is the right-back of the future.You could see in the victory over Swansea how good he is. He was all over the place and never stopped running.
"For Arsenal it would be a mistake to let him go. It is obvious that many teams want him. There has been talk about Manchester City and Barcelona. He is a player with great potential and I am sure he will also be a key part of the future of the Spanish national team."
Best dribble success in the PL in 2016 (50+ dribbles):
Imbula (73.5%)
Gueye (69.6%)
Lallana (69.2%)
BellerÃn (68.0%)
Willian (67.7%)
He also insisted that he was happy in north London and hopeful of signing a new deal, saying:"In my case I will finish my contract at the end of the season but I'm not thinking about it now. I'm just focusing on playing and giving my best on the pitch.
"Last season was very difficult for me after spending so much time on the sidelines [due to a knee injury]. Now I just want to enjoy myself again “ and we'll see what happens in the future."
He continued:"I'm happy because I'm playing regularly. If I didn't play I would tell you that I would consider leaving, but I'm having minutes and I have the confidence of the manager. That's what every player wants."
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