Hector Bellerin has shared his delight at how things are going at Real Betis, revealing he had to leave Arsenal after ten years at the club.
Bellerin joined Betis at the end of the summer transfer window, joining on a season-long loan deal when it was it was made clear he wasn’t a part of Mikel Arteta’s plans.
The move to Betis brought a temporary end to a ten-year stay at Arsenal, whom he joined as a youngster from Barcelona in 2012 and went on to make 239 appearances for in all competitions.
His return to Spain has been a successful one so far, with Bellerin establishing himself as the first-choice right-back under Manuel Pellegrini and making 27 appearances so far this season.
The Spaniard has already spoken of his delight at how things are going, making it clear he would like to stay at the club in the long term if he can rather than returning to Arsenal.
“It’s been a very nice season. On a personal and club level, I’m happy with the campaign we’re having,” he told La Media Inglesa.
“It’s been a very nice experience; it was what I needed on a football level, a change after ten years at Arsenal.
“I’m very happy with the decision I made and with how the season is going, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come.
“It has been a very nice process to get here. One of my dreams was to be able to return to Spain; I had that need to return to my roots. I missed my family a lot, the weather, the food; I was in a kind of rebellion in England.
“It was a difficult process because of the numbers, but it was very nice to call my father and say, ‘hey dad, I’m going to Betis’. It was a great moment. When my father saw Gordillo for the first time, he almost started to cry.
“Football gives you moments, I have a very Bética family, and it means a lot to me and to them to be able to be here.”
