Hector Bellerin is on the cusp of leaving Arsenal, as rumours linking him with various clubs appear almost every day.
And the majority of the Gunners faithful are prepared to wave goodbye to the right-back, although some think he should stay for one more year.
And a Tribuna user Jackson Wiafe asks: "Will he be remembered as a club legend when he leaves?"
I don't think Bellerin would be considered an Arsenal legend in the same vein as Thierry Henry, Ian Wright or David Seaman. But he has already left his mark on the club and the fans—and his influence would only grow as time passes.
A could-have-been
First of all, there are many iconic Gunners who are revered not for what they did but for what they could have done but failed to do, for various reasons.
Jack Wilshere is perhaps the most striking example of this kind of a player: not an Arsenal legend, he is a beloved figure by man fans.
Tomas Rosicky, Mesut Ozil, Andrey Arshavin, Wojciech Szczesny and Theo Walcott did not quite hit the heights they were expected to, but they have remained fan favourites throughout the years.
And Bellerin will join this list: Hector will be remembered for what he could have done, not what he actually did.
When I think about the highlight of Jack Wilshere's career, THAT performance against Barcelona springs to mind. Not only because he bossed Xavi and Iniesta, but also because of the promise he showed in that game. The hopes Arsenal fans had for him...
Bellerin has been a Gunner since 2011, but his ultimate Arsenal moments came when he was just 21 years old. I am talking about that tackle on Pedro...
A lot has happened since that Bayern game but Bellerin has not reached the heights expected of him.
Arsenal will forever remain a part of Heccy B, and I can even see him returning to Arsenal after retirement to work as a scout, coach or even a manager if he chooses to follow that path. Or perhaps as a kit designer given his interest in fashion, why not?
When he will speak about Arsenal matters, people would listen, the way they listen to the opinions of Ian Wright, Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira.
But I would not put Hector in the same category as these men. Wrighty, Henry, Bergkamp, Vieira, Adams, Rocastle — they were exceptional players, cut from a different cloth from the rest.
Bellerin is a good footballer, better than he is normally given credit for, but he is not a world-beater. He will be remembered as a player who could have been the best right-back in the world but ultimately failed to reach that level.
But Bellerin's legacy will remain at Arsenal.
More than a footballer
Football promotes a particular culture of masculinity: a good men's football player is tough mentally and is often tough physically, ready to withstand and play through pain. Players are expected to stay away from politics and keep their opinions, beliefs and off-the-pitch activities separated from their football.
And Bellerin is among the new generation of footballers doing away with this idea of masculinity. A vegan football player who starts a fundraising campaign to re-plant rainforest who also tells a Prime Minister to do one? It was impossible 30, 20, even 10 years ago.
Bellerin's refusal to shy away from important topics has helped Arsenal stay relevant to a lot of people.
By being one of the very few top-level vegan athletes alone, Bellerin has become a role model for many as plant-based diets grow more and more widespread around the world.
By speaking out on problems faced by gay players in the Premier League, Hector helped many embrace their identity — his words meant the world to queer football fans and players.
There are countless people who started supporting Arsenal because Bellerin basically acts as a club ambassador—and the values he represented would go on to be associated with the club as a whole.
While Bellerin will never make 'top 50 Arsenal players' or 'top 10 Premier League full-backs' lists, his legacy will live on.
While Heccy did not single-handedly win trophies for us, he will be fondly remembered by Arsenal fans.
Bellerin is an inspirational human being who has been one of the crucial figures in the cultural shift the game is going through. He is a player who has made football and the world a slightly better place. And that is arguably worth more than a hundred Champions League goals.
