Héctor Bellerín eyeing new shirt number

Héctor Bellerín is in the market for a new shirt number. In a video posted to Arsenal’s YouTube channel, the Spaniard reveals that he has designs on the #2 and that he’s already spoken to Arsenal kit manager Vic Akers about making the swap. The number recently became available when Mathieu Debuchy left for Saint-Étienne on a free transfer in January. The number 2 is traditionally worn by right backs, so it makes sense for Bellerín to take it next season.

I’d caution against reading anything about Bellerín’s future at Arsenal into this news. While he frequently comes up when potential Arsenal sales are rumored, he’s young, skilled, and under contract through 2022 - not an asset that Arsenal will part with lightly. With recent reports that the new manager might be limited to a £50 million war chest before sales this summer, he is once again making transfer rumor headlines. But thinking Bellerín will be sold based on those rumors is like concluding he’s definitely staying at Arsenal from the video below - a tenuous connection at best.

What we do know is that he wants to wear number 2 next season and he’s in a fun video with Per Mertesacker and Rob Holding. It’s cued up to where he talks about the #2 shirt, but I’d encourage you to watch the entire thing. The three Arsenal defenders have a good time answering a number of questions submitted by supporters. They talk about everything from the most difficult player they’ve faced to their take on the Jordan vs. LeBron GOAT debate to whether they’d visit Jurassic Park if it were real.