Hector Bellerin says that Steve Bould played a pivotal role in his development as a right-back, after he’d spent much of his youth career playing further up-field as an attacking player.

The Spanish international was seen an Arsenal scout playing right-back for a Barcelona youth team, but it was not his customary position.

So, when he came to Arsenal he was being retrained there, and an interview with Sport Magazine he revealed the role the now assistant manager played.

Asked if it was Arsene Wenger who convinced him playing as a defender was the right thing, he said, “At the beginning, Steve Bould was the key because I was playing for the under-18s and under-21s when I first came to Arsenal.

He told me: ‘Hector, you’re alright going forward, so I don’t want to touch anything there. But defensively you’ve got to work a lot.’

“The stuff I learned in just one season with him was crazy. Once you have the basics in your head, you just have to put it into practice. Since then, every coach I’ve had has helped me to become a better player.

“When Arsenal told me at the beginning, I was a bit frustrated – you know, thinking I like to be an attacker.

“But soon I realised what their vision was for me, and how they saw me as a right-back.

“In the beginning, learning a new position is not easy. But I’m feeling comfortable now. I’m really happy with whoever’s idea that was, because maybe if I was still a winger I wouldn’t be where I am.”

Bellerin will miss this weekend’s game against Man United, having been ruled out for a month with ankle ligament damage.

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Read the full interview here