Arsenal agree loan deal with Real Betis for Hector Bellerin - no option to buy
By Tom Gott
Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin will leave the club on deadline day to join Spanish side Real Betis - though it will be on loan with no option to buy for the Spanish outfit.
The 26-year-old has been pushing for a move away from Arsenal all summer and had seem himself linked to the likes of Barcelona and Inter, only for both sides to fail to convince the Gunners to let him go. Though Arsenal have now agreed a deal which will see Bellerin return to Spain and join Betis.
Bellerin is expected to undergo a medical in London on Tuesday, per David Ornstein, and put pen to paper on a deal to join the side he supported as a child. He is also expected to take a pay cut to help force the deal through.
He is set to fill the void left by the departure of Emerson Royal, who was re-signed by Barcelona earlier in the summer and is now set to be sold on to Tottenham Hotspur.
There could still be further outgoings from the Emirates Stadium before the transfer window closes, most notably Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who publicly begged for a move away from the club after seeing a loan move to Everton rejected.
Maitland-Niles hopes to leave and he could be joined by winger Reiss Nelson, who is expected to join Feyenoord on a season-long loan.
One player who now appears set to stay is young striker Eddie Nketiah, who was being targeted by Crystal Palace last week.
The 22-year-old, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract, was valued too highly by Arsenal and is now expected to remain at the club and see out his deal, with Palace setting their sights on Celtic's Odsonne Edouard instead.