Now Hector Bellerin Must Prove His Worth as One of Arsenal's Highest Earners

Thus far, this has been a mixed international break for Arsenal. Troubling news of a muscular injury for Alexis Sanchez has been balanced out by the significant positive of a breakthrough in Hector Bellerin’s contract talks. While Arsenal wait to secure the future of both Alexis and Mesut Ozil, it seems Bellerin has had no such hesitation about putting pen to paper. Arsenal are sure to have rewarded his loyalty handsomely—now the onus is on the Spaniard to prove he’s worth his new salary.

For the last few weeks, Arsenal have had significant cause for optimism about keeping Bellerin. His agent, Albert Botines, was quoted by the Guardian as saying:

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We are speaking and are now a lot closer than we were two weeks ago. In a normal situation he will sign. Hector is very happy at Arsenal. This would be the fourth time he has signed a new contract at the club and it is clear he has made good progress.

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Now it seems an announcement about a new contract is imminent. Sami Mokbel of the MailOnline wrote:

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Hector Bellerin has agreed a new long-term contract at Arsenal.

The Gunners have fought interest from Barcelona and Manchester City to keep hold of the 21-year-old and are expecting to confirm the new contract in he coming days. 

City tried to sign Bellerin last summer but the Arsenal wouldn't entertain any offers.

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Bellerin’s previous deal wasn’t particularly close to expiring—he still had three years to run on his existing contract. This deal is about reflecting his progress as much as anything else. While any specific talk of his wages would be mere speculation, it’s clear Arsenal will have pushed the boat out to make the Spaniard feel wanted.

After all, their primary aim here is to ward off the likes of Manchester City and Barcelona. Bellerin’s performances will have caught the eye of Europe’s richest clubs. This season, City have had to make do with the veteran pair of Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta at right-back. A player of Bellerin’s youth and ability would surely be of interest to Pep Guardiola. Instead, the Spaniard has effectively delivered a rebuttal to the Catalan coach, electing to continue his development in London.

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So what now? It might be tempting for Bellerin to rest on his laurels. He’s now established as a first-team player and will have a substantial pay packet to reflect that. However, it’s important that he does his half of the bargain. After all, what makes him so exciting is his potential—Bellerin could yet improve.

Arsenal legend Lee Dixon said as much a year ago. Speaking to Arsenal.com, Dixon observed:

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He’s still a young lad who has got a long way to go, but when you sit down and analyse his game on a weekly basis you see that he’s doing very well indeed.

There are still areas of game that he does have to improve on but that’s only natural because he’s so young, but as long as he keeps learning - and being in the first team every week will help - he will continue to improve.

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Although 12 months has passed since then, Bellerin is far from the complete player. His new contract is an attempt to secure someone who’s already an important member of the team, but it’s also an investment in the player he could yet become.

Anyone who saw his performance in the north London derby would concede that there is still room to grow. Faced with a dynamic wing-back in Danny Rose, Bellerin struggled to exert his usual influence on the game. On a couple of occasions, the intensity of the match seemed to inhibit him—there were uncharacteristic pieces of mis-control and a couple of wild crosses. Bellerin produced one brilliant recovery challenge, but he was not at his best.

That’s one thing that will surely come with age and experience: greater consistency. At times, Bellerin can be electrifying. However, to reach the top level, he must produce those sorts of performances on a regular basis.

For Bellerin, the physical aspect of the game is one that demands attention. He is a remarkable athlete—few footballers can match his awesome sprinting speed. However, he began his career as a winger, and naturally has the slight build traditionally associated with that position. 

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Bellerin recognises how important it is for a Premier League defender to be able to withstand regular buffetings from powerful strikers. Last year, he told Luke Gardner of the Daily Star:

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Football overall is getting much more physical now than it was before so it’s important that those numbers help you see where you are compared to where the best are.

If you want to be with the best, you want to know what you can do to better yourself.

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Fortunately, Bellerin has taken matters into his own hands. In an interview with British GQ (h/t Daily Cannon), he revealed that he has upped his gym work to ensure he maximises his physical potential:

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Last year, maybe once a week I’d get in the gym and do some weights but since coming back from the summer I just wanted to get stronger, get a bit bigger [so] I’ve been in the gym every day after training.

Obviously not on my days off, but around four, five, six days a week. I’ve been doing a load of leg work in the last three years. Obviously I was fast before, but I got a few seconds quicker just by doing that.

I’m only 21, so I’ve loads to improve. Even the oldest player has something to improve.

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This does not sound like a player content to stagnate. Arsenal have had young full-backs in the past who’ve made their first-team breakthrough, only for their development to stall once they hit their mid-20s. The likes of Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Eboue and Kieran Gibbs immediately spring to mind as examples of unfulfilled potential. Bellerin sounds determined to ensure he does not follow the same path.

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Bellerin can be so much more than a full-back for Arsenal. With his blistering pace and attacking instincts, he can be a match-winner, too. There is no reason he could not emulate the likes of Dani Alves and redefine what it means to be a right-back. The potential is there—now we will discover if the hunger is present, too.

The signs are good. In his GQ interview (h/t Daily Cannon), he spoke about what drives him:

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What motivates me? The motivation of getting better and maybe one day leaving a legacy, people remembering you when you’re no longer playing.

That’s what I’m working for every day.

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Bellerin has the raw ability required to be remembered as fondly as Dixon and other Arsenal greats. That will be determined not just by his own individual performances, but by the success of the team. Silverware is the hallmark of club legends. Bellerin will know if he can help restore the Gunners to the summit of the Premier League, his place in history is assured.

For a young player to be so mindful of their legacy is a good sign. Arsenal have already done well to keep Bellerin around. If he can improve in the required areas, this new contract will have been all the more important.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout 2016/17. Follow him on Twitter here.