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Is Ben White Arsenal's best option at right-back? By Tum Balogun  William Saliba’s impressive form upon returning to the Emirates has necessitated a reshuffle in the Arsenal backline.  Despite scoring an unfortunate own goal in this weekend's 4-2 win over Leicester, the young Frenchman has already stamped his authority on a position previously held by 2021/22's £50 million summer signing Ben White.  Acutely aware of the former Brighton man’s defensive qualities, as well as his versatility, Mikel Arteta has opted to play the Englishman at right-back, dislodging Takehiro Tomiyasu who enjoyed a fine debut campaign last term.  It’s a selection headache the manager will relish after years of struggling to piece together a defensive line which could provide a solid platform for the team to build attacks while also keeping opponents at bay.  With Saliba and Gabriel set to continue at the heart of the Gunners defence, let's assess some of the options at right-back....

Hector Bellerin: Real Betis? Roma? Where next for Arsenal's forgotten man?  By Ben Hart It once seemed that Hector Bellerin would be a mainstay of the Arsenal defence for over a decade.   When the Spaniard lifted the FA Cup aloft at the climax of his breakout season in 2015, the then 20-year-old had all the makings of an Arsenal legend.   But as has been the case for many of his teammates in years gone by, an unhappy cocktail of injuries, inconsistency and the team’s gradual decline stopped Bellerin from realising his full potential.     His slight cockney twang made the Emirates seem like a natural home, but after more than a decade in North London he is seeking a new club to call his own.   The question is, where will Bellerin end up this summer?   Real Betis   After a season on loan in Spain, Bellerin has made it clear that his preference is to reunite with Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini.   Such was the bond that Bellerin developed w...

Should Arsenal keep hold of Hector Bellerin next season? By Tom Masters Arsenal suffered a second consecutive Premier League defeat at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend and with injuries starting to mount there is a clear issue with Mikel Arteta’s squad depth. One such area that the Gunners appear to lack in is right back, with Japanese star Takehiro Tomiyasu missing and Cedric failing to reach the same heights of Tomiyasu, there are questions about whether or not Arteta will need to sign a right back for next season, or whether he will be able to solve his problems internally. One man who is still currently an Arsenal player and could solve the Gunners’ right back woes is Hector Bellerin. The Spaniard is currently on loan at Real Betis after nine years at Arsenal and could slot back into Arteta’s defence after a year in Seville. How he can help An experienced campaigner, Bellerin joined Arsenal in 2012 and made 183 appearances in that time, scoring eight goals. He ha...

Arsenal loan players round-up: Torreira and Guendouzi impress By Jack Lacey-Hatton With the January transfer window on the horizon talk will soon be dominated by who Arsenal may be able to bring over the next month.   However, with an already large squad it’s perhaps worth checking in on the progress of some of the players currently away on loan deals, before looking at who can be brought in.   The squad may need further trimming down before new players arrive.   Mikel Arteta had to allow some players back in the summer to leave to ensure they receive minutes, particularly with his team not contesting European football this season.   In total the club currently has 17 players currently out on loan.   Let’s see how they have been fairing recently with the New Year fast approaching. Senior players   Matteo Guendouzi  is one of the more senior figures at the club currently spending this season elsewhere, the midfielder is with Marseille in ...

How are Arsenal's loan players getting on away from the Emirates? By Oscar Maung-Haley The international break gives us a chance to take stock of how Arsenal’s out-on-loan players are getting on at their respective clubs. Here’s a look at how the away-from-the-Emirates Gunners are faring on the continent. William Saliba It’s great for the Gunners that Benjamin White and Gabriel have seemingly formed a strong partnership at the back for Mikel Arteta’s side. But it cannot be overstated how much the club has butchered the handling of William Saliba’s time at the Emirates. Signed for a whopping £27m in 2019, Saliba has yet to feature for the Arsenal senior side, being loaned out back out to Saint-Etienne for the 2019/20 season. Upon his return last season, he was left out of the first team squad entirely, being loaned out in January to Nice. Again, this season, the 20-year-old France U21 international finds himself at Marseille in Ligue 1. And this season, his 3 rd  loan move has more ...

Transfer deadline day: The ins and outs By Oscar Maung-Haley Another summer transfer window is in the books and while Arsenal didn’t quite go for the full 2011 experience (we’re still shuddering at the signing of Andre Santos…) it was quite a busy day at the Emirates. Here’s a recap of all the ins and outs. The Ins Arsenal made just one signing on deadline day. Takehiro Tomiyasu – signed from Bologna Centre-back Takehiro Tomiyasu joined the Gunners from Bologna on deadline day for a fee thought to be in the region of £16m. A Japanese international, Tomiyasu is a versatile player, capable of operating at both the heart of defence and at right-back. Given Hector Bellerin’s deadline day departure, it made sense to add someone who could cover right-back. Additionally, Tomiyasu’s arrival would allow Arsenal to be more flexible in their attacking approach, with the 22-year-old being able to come inside to form a back three, freeing up Kieran Tierney to roam forward. His signing could turn ou...