Happy Sunday everyone.
Let’s start with some Arsenal news today, because there actually is some involving the likely departure of Leandro Trossard. Over the years, we have heard many, many transfer rumours from Turkey, and I think it’s fair to say the hit rate on them has been low. Negligible even. So, when the Belgian was linked with a move there, I could see how it might have some logic to it, but I wasn’t expecting anything concrete to develop.
Then, in the Athletic yesterday (£), James reported a €20m agreement between Arsenal and Besiktas, with the deal set to conclude after the World Cup where he is still involved with Belgium. I guess it makes sense for all concerned. At 31 he’s got a year left on his deal, there isn’t a new one in the offing, and if we’re going to refresh and rejuvenate the squad, a player of his age is a prime candidate to go. We’ve already been linked with Christos Tzolis of Club Brugge, with names like Bradley Barcola and Morgan Rogers also doing the rounds as players who could come in and play on the left-hand side.
For Trossard himself, there’s a last big move in his career to a country where footballers can earn lots, with a more favourable tax system than in the UK. And, perhaps, a slightly less intense schedule than at Arsenal. I think Besiktas are potential Europa Conference League participants next season, but obviously the calibre of opposition isn’t what it is in the Champions League.
I think he’s been a great signing for us. Everyone will remember that January when we were after Mykhailo Mudryk, and Shaktar Donetsk were holding out for something close to £100m. Something, by the way, we were prepared to pay which, in hindsight, seems kind of ridiculous. It’s like everyone was hoodwinked by the vociferousness of the demand, when the reality was the player wasn’t worth anything like that. It fell apart in the end because behind the scenes he was used like human cattle and made to sign for Chelsea, a development which apparently made the player cry because he really wanted to join Arsenal (and probably not join Chelsea because it’s a place for wankers).
Subsequently he failed to adapt to the Premier League, I’m gonna say in part because he joined the wrong club, but also because he was just not that good. Very fast – and I think he would have had a better time with us because of the more settled and less wankery environment – but not that good. Then he picked up a four year ban for doping, and now plays video games for a living (I think).
Anyway, if Arsenal were a bit mad to pursue him to the extent they did, they deserve credit for what they did next. A pivot to Leandro Trossard saw the Belgian international arrive for a little over £20m, and three and a half years later I think it’s fair to say we got really good value from that transfer. 174 appearances (and very few injuries), 34 goals, 32 assists, a player who brought quality and character to the team.
I spoke to someone close to the club around the time he signed who, via an ex-Arsenal player who knew Trossard very well, suggested he might be a bit ‘difficult’, shall we say. I think what we came to learn was that if there were elements of that to him, it was borne out of sheer competitiveness. He spoke himself about how winning is everything to him, Mikel Arteta joked at a press conference Trossard could be a bit ‘grumpy’ at times, but it was never anything that undermined the collective in any way. He had high standards, and there’s nothing wrong with that – especially when, in the not too distant past, we’ve experienced the opposite too often. Players who don’t really care enough. Who go through the motions and make it look like they do, but you know it’s bullshit. There was no bullshit to Leo.
I like that bit of personality he brought to the team and onto the pitch. I feel like footballers are more and more machine-like these days, and I dig the strength of character of those who are good enough and confident enough to operate outside the strict boundaries put in place by clubs and coaches. Trossard is one of those for me. With this move, Arsenal are losing a really good and highly techincal player, so I hope whatever the plan is to replace his minutes, we’ve thought long and hard about that.
So, we’ll see how it pans out, but it looks like he’ll be on his way, the first significant departure of the summer. The first significant transfer move in any shape or form actually, and while the World Cup is playing a part in how the market is moving (or not), I wonder once things start happening if we might get a rolling stone gathering moss effect. Let’s see.
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At the World Cup, William Saliba’s tournament continues as France beat the horrible cynical Paraguay 1-0 thanks to a Kylian Mbappe penalty, and Morocco beat Canada 3-0. Today the Arsenal boys will be involved as Norway face Brazil, and at 1am in this part of the world, the ongoing and very public destruction of Declan Rice will continue as England play Mexico at the Azteca.
Have a great Sunday everyone!
