Cazorla: 'It would be a mistake' to let Bellerin walk

Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has cautioned the club of the potential perils of letting highly coveted full-back Hector Bellerin leave.

Cementing his place as one of Europe's top right-backs with each stunning performance, Bellerin, 21, has attracted the interest of Manchester City and Barcelona.

"For Arsenal it would be a mistake to let him go. It is obvious that many teams want him," the pint-sized Spanish playmaker told IBTimes UK about his countryman.

"There has been talk about Manchester City and Barcelona. He is a player with great potential and I am sure he will also be a key part of the future of the Spanish national team."

In light of that interest, Arsene Wenger has admitted a desire to offer Bellerin a new contract to stave off the desires of City and the Spanish giants who let the pacey defender leave its famed La Masia academy in 2011.

"He has nearly three years to go, we always try to get the players to the (financial) level where we think they deserve to be," Wenger said. "We will try to extend his contract, his long-term future is here."

Under contract through 2021, the reigning PFA Team of the Year honouree has made 82 appearances for the Gunners since emerging from the youth set-up last season because of injury to Mathieu Valbuena.

With Cazorla's Arsenal deal set to expire in the summer, it appears that the ambidextrous former Villarreal midfielder is more concerned with Bellerin's status than his own.

"We'll see (what happens with Hector). You could see in the victory over Swansea how good he is. He was all over the place and never stopped running."