Five right backs who could replace Hector Bellerin this summer

Five right backs who could replace Hector Bellerin if the Arsenal defender decides to leave the Emirates in the summer

By Adam Le Roux

With the news that Hector Bellerin could be set for pastures new in the summer, Arsenal will be on the hunt for a new face to slip into the right back berth that the 25-year-old has made his own for the last few years.

The Spaniard has been a regular name on the team sheet, injury permitting, for much of the last five years, with his shuttle runs up and down the right flank a familiar sight at the Emirates.

But with a move to either former club Barcelona or PSG on the cards, the defender looks set to call a day on a ten-year spell with the Gunners, leaving Mikel Arteta a man light in the backline.

It looks set to be another busy summer of comings and goings at the club as the boss looks to find his perfect squad, so who will he be looking at as a replacement on the right side of defence?

Tariq Lamptey - Brighton

Ever since he made his debut for the Seagulls last summer, Tariq Lamptey has been one of the standout performers in his position in the division.

Fed up with a lack of opportunities at Chelsea, the 20-year-old made the move to the south coast in search of more game time, and he has made up for lost time under Graham Potter with a number of top performances in the blue and white.

Assured with the ball at his feet as well as in defence, Lamptey would fit straight into the Gunners’ backline, with his deft touch and exuberance to get up and down the touchline giving his side an extra edge on the right flank.

He may have suffered a hamstring injury which has seen him out of action since December, but even after just a handful of Premier League appearances you can see that Lamptey is a talent destined for big things in the future.

Max Aarons - Norwich

It’s no surprise to see Max Aarons on this list, with the Norwich right back among the most highly sought-after defenders in the English game at the moment, with a number of high-profile clubs after his signature.

AC Milan, Everton and even Barcelona have been rumoured to be interested in the Canaries star, who is said to be valued at £18 million.

The 21-year-old has been one of the leading lights in Daniel Farke’s side this season, as the Carrow Road side look set for an immediate return to the top tier, as they currently sit top of the Championship table with a lead of ten points.

Aarons has been an influential part of that rise up the table, with his non-stop attacking threat tearing second tier defences to shreds, with his expertly timed runs and precise crossing.

Time is definitely on his side as well and given the time to develop among an elite squad, he is definitely one to add to the list of top-quality English right backs in the game at the moment.

Callum Brittain - Barnsley

Sticking in the Championship, and a right-field choice could be Barnsley’s right wing-back Callum Brittain, who has taken to the second tier like a duck to water.

The 22-year-old made the switch to Oakwell from MK Dons earlier in the campaign but has excelled on the right side of the pitch for the Tykes, as they continue to rise up the table.

Sitting just one point below the playoff places with a game in hand, Valérien Ismaël’s side are one of the dark horses for promotion this season, and Brittain’s performances have contributed to a run of six straight league victories, and a nine-match unbeaten run.

He may have only signed a three-year deal in Yorkshire in October, but the young star looks like a talent that could easily make the step up to the top tier.

Sometimes it is too easy to take a pick at the big names across Europe, but finding the value in the lower tiers of the English game can be where Arsenal can progress in the summer.

Thierry Correia - Valencia

Correia may only be 21 years old, but he has already made the right back spot his own at Mestalla, having played over 20 games for the side this season.

The Portuguese star has the intensity, power and speed to become one of the best players of his generation and is already highly rated across Europe at such a young age.

Having already represented his country in every age group from under-16 onwards, it is only a matter of time before he gets his chance for the full international side.

Arteta has already proved that if you are good enough you are old enough to play in this new-look Arsenal team, and Correia fits the mould for the sort of dynamic, quick-thinking player that the boss wants for his side to compete at the top end of the Premier League table.

Cedric Soares - Arsenal

There is a thought that Bellerin’s replacement is already at the club sitting patiently in the wings, and given the opportunity he could become the first choice right back at the club.

Cedric Soares has deputised brilliantly whenever the Spaniard has been absent from the first team lineup this season, including another excellent performance in the 3-1 victory over Leicester at the King Power Stadium last weekend.

 

Comfortable with either foot and always assured with the ball, the former Southampton man has come into his own after getting a decent spell in the team of late, and will only improve the longer he has in the team.

Given the Arsenal hierarchy’s preference for taking the cheaper option over the years, Cedric could be the option that the Gunners take this summer, and although it is always exciting to see a new face join the club, sometimes you have to accept a change isn’t needed.

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