Arsenal close to agreeing personal terms to sign £100m + upgrade for Trossard
After four-and-a-half years, Leandro Trossard is set to bring the curtain down on an impressive Arsenal career, having signed for Besiktas after the World Cup.
It was a really funny old story. Without Chelsea’s signing of Mykhailo Mudryk, a player the Gunners were dead set on, Trossard would not have donned the red and white.
When that move for Mudryk fell through, they turned to Brighton’s Trossard, a Premier League player worth just £27m.
It’s safe to say Mikel Arteta and Co had the last laugh with this one. He was the definition of clutch. Indeed, only two other players – Mikel Merino and Gabriel Magalhaes have scored more game-changing goals since the Belgian’s arrival. Basically that means the opening, equalizing or winning goal in the game.
As a result, replacing him this summer will be difficult, but Andrea Berta and Co have a few goals in mind.
Arsenal are making progress in a deal for the big-money winger
It appears that Trossard is headed for Turkey. Arsenal have agreed a £17m fee with Besiktas to seal his exit from the Emirates Stadium.
It’s not a lot of money, sure, but he’s 31 and coming to the end of his career.
Whether that extra £17m helps them secure a new signing remains to be seen but they will need all the money they can get to find a replacement.
Bradley Barcola is one of the key targets and is valued at a whopping £116m. Arsenal officials are believed to have traveled to the USA to not only watch him, but also talk to his agent about a possible move from PSG.
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As we all know, however, Barcola is not the best target. Morgan Rogers. He wants a move but Aston Villa will play hardball over this one, painting him a staggering £130m asking price.
That said, there’s hope for this one as it’s improving a lot on the players’ side. This is according to Fabrizio Romano who said the following on YouTube: “Arsenal will sign an important defender in this summer window. The most important name they have in mind remains Morgan Rogers.”
Romano continued: “The deal with the player is very close and something that Arsenal sees as not a problem. But, Aston Villa will start at £130m. This could end up being negotiated but let’s see. He will be expensive. Arsenal is working on this deal.”
Why Rogers replaces the perfect Trossard
If Trossard is to leave the Emirates Stadium behind in the coming weeks, he will do so on a high note.
He scored just one goal at club level in 2026 but it was crucial there, scoring the winner against West Ham United that all but retained the Premier League title.
He will leave the Gunners with a winner’s medal around his neck and he deserves everything Mikel Arteta and Co have given him since his arrival.
For Rogers, they would not sign a player to fill his place but they would get a player with more skill, a player who could take this Arsenal team to another level.
He is the PFA Young Player of the Year and is a goal scorer and goal creator in general. In 2024/25, the 23-year-old netted 14 goals and assisted his team-mates on 16 goals. Last quarter, he found the back of the net 14 times while dishing out 12 assists.
With Trossard not enjoying his most productive years in 2025/26, we wanted to analyze the numbers of his senior season at Arsenal; 2023/24 campaign where he scored 17 goals in all competitions. We compare that to Rogers’ best season to give the best context.
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Rogers vs Trossard: Key statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Mathematics (in 90 minutes) |
Rogers (24/25) |
Trossard (23/24) |
|
Non-penalty goals |
0.35 |
0.66 |
|
Shots |
2.28 |
3.28 |
|
Involvement of great opportunities |
0.79 |
0.77 |
|
An open game that helps |
0.18 |
0.16 |
|
Anticipated threat created |
0.12 |
0.09 |
|
Productive dribbles |
0.61 |
0.38 |
|
Successful dribbles |
2.72 |
1.37 |
|
Continuous carriers |
2.46 |
2.41 |
|
Continuous passes |
2.72 |
2.95 |
|
Won ground duels |
0.81 |
1.35 |
|
Aerial duels won |
0.44 |
0.27 |
In fact, there isn’t much to separate between Rogers and Trossard in terms of numbers. The Belgian player has been flourishing for a long time and took a lot of shots during the seasons under review.
However, the former is certainly a powerful football manager and that is why Arsenal love him so much. He is a maverick, a player who will move up the field quickly and efficiently. He is one of the best players in the Premier League right now.
The key factor when it comes to success is going to be that ‘gene’. Can Rogers step in and make an impact in the big moments like Trossard did? Here’s hoping you do.
Either way, it looks like Arsenal are making an upgrade here and at 23, he has the potential to be a better player than Trossard was in north London.
An attacking midfielder by trade, his ability to play on the left would make the Villa star a perfect fit.
