Real Betis sign Arsenal's Bellerin on season-long loan

Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin has joined La Liga outfit Real Betis on a season-long loan, the club has confirmed.

The Gunners stalwart, who has been with the club for a decade since his youth days as a teenager, returns to play in his home country at club level for the first time in his career.

A three-time FA Cup winner with Mikel Arteta's side, the 26-year-old will now swap London for Seville and arrives at Estadio Benito Villamarin on a temporary deal with no option to buy.

Betis get target man

Talks have intensified following a weekend in which Arsenal mulled options for Bellerin and saw Barcelona pass on a move.

Betis have been long-time admirers throughout the summer, with the defender's wage packet thought to be the major obstacle to a move.

Those issues have been resolved with the transfer deadline looming however, paving the way for the Catalan-born man to seal a move to his home country.

Bellerin's career so far

A graduate of Arsenal's youth system after arriving as a 16-year-old, Bellerin initially spent a loan spell with Watford in the Championship across the 2013-14 season, gaining key minutes.

It paved the way for him to establish himself amid the Gunners as a regular presence, firstly under Arsene Wenger and then his successors Unai Emery and Arteta.

He started all three of their FA Cup Final triumphs in 2015, 2017 and 2020, though he missed their 2019 Europa League Final defeat through a long-term ACL injury.