Former Arsenal full-back Hector Bellerin has suggested his old team now have the required experience to not only challenge but also go the distance in the Premier League race.
Arsenal were at the top of the Premier League table for most of the 2022-23 season. However, they could not apply the finishing touch, losing their advantage to Manchester City in the final lap of the race and coming second.
The Gunners have bolstered their squad over the summer and are expected to mount an even better challenge this season, and Bellerin believes youngsters like Bukayo Saka could prove to be decisive.
Bellerin Expects Year-On-Year Improvements From Arsenal
In an interview with Sky Sports, Bellerin said he was proud of Saka and Co. and voiced his excitement for the future. The Spaniard, who left the club for Real Betis last summer, stated:
“I’ve shared lots of moments with them and I’ve seen Bukayo [Saka] and Reiss [Nelson] go through the academy and I feel very proud of them.
“For sure, there are very young players in that team that now have a lot of experience like Bukayo himself and I think that’s one of the things that we’re missing that now we have. I’m sure every year is just going to be a better one for them and I think that’s where Arsenal football club deserves to be.”
Mikel Arteta Was Always Going To Be A Manager, Says Bellerin
Bellerin also spoke about Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, lauding him for his ability to adapt and keenness to learn.
The former Spain international added:
“He’s constantly learning and I think that’s what’s good about him.
“He’s able to adapt and able to learn from his mistakes and he’s able to become a new Arteta every season.”
Bellerin also said that becoming a manager was always on the cards for Arteta, as he was coaching even during his playing days.
Bellerin added:
“As a player he was already coaching, he used to talk to us about how he thought the game would go, how we should press and stuff like this. We all kind of knew at some point he would step up and be a manager.”
Bellerin and Arteta shared pitch a total of 12 times during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons but never combined for a goal.
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