After four-and-a-half years, Leandro Trossard is set to sign for Besiktas after the World Cup, bringing an end to an exceptional Arsenal career.
It’s a really interesting old story. Had Chelsea not signed Mykhailo Mudryk, a player the Gunners were definitely looking to land, Trossard would never have donned the red and white.
With Madrik’s move falling through, they pivoted to Brighton’s Trossard, a Premier League player worth just £27 million.
It would be no exaggeration to say that Mikel Arteta and his team had the last laugh. He was the definition of clutch. In fact, only two players have scored more game-changing goals since the Belgian’s arrival: Mikel Merino and Gabriel Magalhães. Essentially, it means the first goal, tying goal, or winning goal in a match.
It will therefore be difficult to replace him this summer, but Andrea Berta and co have a number of goals in mind.
Arsenal make progress with big-money contract for winger
It looks like Trossard is headed to Türkiye. Arsenal have agreed a £17m transfer fee to ensure Besiktas’ exit from the Emirates Stadium.
It’s certainly not a lot of money, but he’s 31 years old and nearing the end of his career.
It remains to be seen whether that extra £17m will help secure a new contract, but they will need all the cash they can get to secure a truly elite replacement.
Bradley Barcola is one of the key targets and is being touted for a whopping £116m. Arsenal officials are believed to have traveled to the United States not only to monitor his progress, but also to discuss a possible move from PSG with his agent.
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But as everyone knows, Barcola is not the main target. Morgan Rogers. He wants to leave, but Aston Villa are taking a hard line on the matter and intend to offer him a very impressive offer of £130 million.
However, they have made strong progress in terms of players, so I have high hopes for this match. This is what Fabrizio Romano said on YouTube: “Arsenal will sign an important winger this summer. The name they have in mind and their top priority remains Morgan Rodgers.”
Romano continued: “We’re very close to agreeing the player and Arsenal think it’s OK. But Aston Villa’s starting price is £130 million. It might be negotiated eventually, but we’ll see. He’s going to be very expensive. Arsenal are working on a deal.”
Why Rodgers is the perfect replacement for Trossard
If Trossard leaves the Emirates Stadium in the coming weeks, he will do so in top form.
He only scored one goal at club level in 2026, but it was an important goal at the time, scoring the winner against West Ham United that almost sealed the Premier League title.
He leaves the Gunners with a winners’ medal around his neck, which he fully deserves for everything he has given Mikel Arteta and co since his arrival.
In Rodgers’ case, they won’t be signing a similar replacement, but they will be signing a player with more potential, someone who can take this Arsenal team to the next level.
He is a former PFA Young Player of the Year, a player who scores and creates goals with great regularity. In the 2024/25 season, the 23-year-old has scored 14 times and contributed 16 goals to his teammates. Last season, he found the back of the net 14 more times and had 12 assists.
Trossard did not have his most productive period in 2025/26, so we wanted to analyze the numbers from his peak season at Arsenal. In the 2023/24 season, he scored 17 goals in all competitions. We’re comparing it to Rodgers’ best season to provide the best context.
Rodgers vs. Trossard: Key stats | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (every 90 minutes) | Rogers (24/25) | Trossard (23/24) |
non-penalty goal | 0.35 | 0.66 |
shot | 2.28 | 3.28 |
big chance involvement | 0.79 | 0.77 |
Expected number of assists in open play | 0.18 | 0.16 |
Expected threat occurrence | 0.12 | 0.09 |
productive dribbling | 0.61 | 0.38 |
dribbling success | 2.72 | 1.37 |
progressive carry | 2.46 | 2.41 |
progressive path | 2.72 | 2.95 |
Win a Defense Ground Duel | 0.81 | 1.35 |
won an aerial battle | 0.44 | 0.27 |
Honestly, as far as numbers go, there isn’t much of a difference between Rodgers and Trossard. The Belgian was more prolific over time and took far more shots in the season analyzed.
However, there is no doubt that the former is the more powerful ball carrier, which is why Arsenal like him so much. He is a maverick, a player who will get you up the pitch faster and more efficiently. He is undoubtedly one of the best dribblers in the Premier League at the moment.
The key to determining success is the “clutch gene.” Could Rodgers come in and make an impact in key moments like Trossard? I hope he does.
Either way, it looks like Arsenal are signing an upgrade here, with the 23-year-old potentially having the potential to become an even more prominent player than Trossard was in north London.
His ability to trade as an attacking midfielder and also play on the left would make him an ideal replacement for the Villa star.
