Arsenal full-back Hector Bellerin has told FourFourTwo how settled he now feels in London since arriving from Barcelona.
The 20-year-old made his English league debut against Yeovil Town - during a loan spell at Watford - in November 2013, and while the Spaniard is renowned for his speed, his rise into the Gunners’ first-team ranks has been notably rapid.
I love going to the pub for a bit of food. My dad loves fish and chips. Every single week our family go to the pub. Oh, and roast dinners, too – they’re great
Bellerin made his 45th Premier League appearance for the north Londoners in Sunday’s showdown against Manchester United, to add to his nine outings in the Champions League.
And despite being Barcelona born and bred, the 2014/15 FA Cup-winner hasn’t taken too long to adapt to his new surroundings, including the capital city’s more traditional cuisine.
Speaking exclusively in the April 2016 issue of FourFourTwo magazine, Bellerin reveals: "Our kitman in the Under-18s and U21s taught me some rhyming slang. Like, instead of the stairs you go ‘up the apples’, or say ‘the dog’ for the phone.
“At first, I didn’t understand a word he was saying, or even believe anyone would create that kind of language because it’s so difficult to learn! I respect that.
“I love going to the pub for a bit of food. My dad loves fish and chips. Maybe not the warm beer, though. Every single week our family go to the pub. Oh, and roast dinners, too – they’re great. They’re settled and feel kind of English now!"
Read the full interview with Bellerin in the April 2016 issue of FourFourTwo, available in print, on iPad and iPhone. Want to watch more exclusive interviews with Bellerin, plus our other cover stars Delle Alli, Dimitri Payet and Riyad Mahrez? Of course you do! Subscribe to FourFourTwo’s YouTube channel to see them, plus our library of Performance videos on how to train, think and play like a pro.
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Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.
