Tariq Lamptey and Max Aarons are among the right-backs Arsenal are considering as potential Hector Bellerin replacements this summer.
As the season goes on, the rumours continue to grow surrounding a potential departure for Hector Bellerin. Most recently, reports have suggested he’s eager to move on this summer, with at least three or four top European clubs after him.
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Though Arsenal haven’t given any indications they want to sell Bellerin, CBS Sports report that they have already identified a couple of targets to replace him.
Norwich City’s Max Aarons and Brighton and Hove Albion’s Tariq Lamptey are both among the options for Arsenal.
It’s certainly not a bad thing that both players are homegrown youngsters. Arsenal are already suffering from a lack of homegrown senior players, hence all the recent problems with squad size, and it would only get worse if Bellerin leaves.
The only other senior players who will qualify as homegrown next season are Calum Chambers, Rob Holding, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Dejan Iliev. You could realistically predict two or three of those four to leave as well.
With Sead Kolasinac, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi all returning from loan (none of whom are homegrown), Arsenal need to work on trimming the non-homegrown side of the squad, not adding to it.
Lamptey recently signed a new contract with Brighton, but The Athletic reported at the time that it was unlikely to discourage his suitors. Arsenal remain interested and the new deal isn’t even expected to lead to a significant price hike.
As for Aarons, the 20-year-old reportedly held talks over a potential exit with Norwich City in recent windows. At the time, they decided it would be mutually beneficial for him to stay, but that might change this summer.