Ask Arsenal supporters who their favorite cult hero is and it’s probably many will point out the identify of Leandro Trossard.
There’s one thing of a Freddie Ljungberg to the Belgian. He wasn’t the most effective participant within the group, nor did he get probably the most reward. He simply quietly received on with the job in hand.
Because the Gunners gained the Premier League in 2025/26, Trossard was one of the crucial underappreciated and underrated gamers within the title-winning squad.
After signing from Brighton in 2023 for simply £27m, he was phenomenal for Mikel Arteta. No purpose was extra important, nevertheless, than his strike away at West Ham. It was the purpose that every one however wrapped up the league crown.
Alas, Trossard has now left for Besiktas and Arsenal are having to discover a option to transfer on with out him.
How Arsenal are faring post-Trossard
It was at all times probably that the Belgian would depart this summer time. It isn’t a shock that the Gunners have wanted to switch him.
In Christos Tzolis, they appear like they’ve discovered probably the most excellent alternative. Talking final week, Mikel Arteta truly in contrast their new Greek signing to Trossard.
“Tzolis is a really direct participant,” Arteta mentioned: “He is received the ball between the eyes. I believe actually good at linking up. He has quite a lot of similarities with Leo in quite a lot of the issues that he can do and the areas he can occupy. After which the work ethic that he has. He is a boy that comes with a lot starvation as effectively and desires to show it. It is a dream for him and we’re right here to assist him.”
It could be secure to say that he has loved an amazing begin to life on the Emirates Stadium, scoring in opposition to Girona after which aiding targets in opposition to Actual Betis and Borussia Dortmund.
The previous Membership Brugge man seems to be a certainty to start out in opposition to Manchester Metropolis within the Neighborhood Defend on Sunday afternoon and it will be a high-quality reward for his kind since arriving from Belgium.
Regardless of that, enchancment continues to be required. Gabriel Martinelli is attracting curiosity and has been the topic of a bid from Turkish facet Galatasaray.
If Arsenal are to let him go away they might want to signal one other left winger. That has been a precedence anyway.
Arteta wished each Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior however ended up with neither. To be assured of success submit Trossard, they should improve on their present choices.
Arsenal might signal Premier League winger after Tzolis
Time is working out and certainly the choices are carrying skinny if Arsenal are to signal one other winger this summer time.
Vinicius Junior is the cream of the crop and to overlook out on him is a gutting blow for the Gunners. However, options are being lined up, one in all which is Liverpool goal and PSG famous person Bradley Barcola.
The Frenchman performed no minutes of their Tremendous Cup win over Aston Villa on Wednesday evening, including additional gasoline to the hearth that this may very well be his final weeks in Paris.
Nevertheless, with a £145m asking worth, a transfer would look like prohibitive. As an alternative. Arsenal are Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye.
That is in line with Caught Offside who reveal that Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool have all opened talks with the participant’s camp concerning a transfer this summer time.
The Senegalese winger has already rejected curiosity from Saudi Arabia to say within the Premier League so English sides look to have a free run at making a transfer.
Why would he be value investing in? Nicely, like Trossard, he is not an elite possibility and wouldn’t be a transparent improve however he’d actually provide a special stage of dynamism to the left-hand facet of Arsenal’s assault.
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Ndiaye vs Trossard: 25/26 Premier League stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90 minutes) |
Ndiaye |
Trossard |
|
Non-penalty targets |
0.13 |
0.27 |
|
Photographs |
1.39 |
2.38 |
|
Open play anticipated assists |
0.14 |
0.16 |
|
Open play massive possibilities created |
0.23 |
0.36 |
|
Shot-ending carries |
1.13 |
1.57 |
|
Profitable dribbles |
2.36 |
1.12 |
|
Anticipated menace in build-up |
0.41 |
0.38 |
|
Progressive carries |
2.97 |
2.83 |
Celebrated as “the most effective gamers within the Premier League” by Jamie O’Hara, the Toffees ahead is such a tough participant in possession of the ball. Like Trossard, he is good in tight areas and at combining play on the sting of the penalty space.
Final time period, the pair each scored six targets within the league however Ndiaye did so from fewer photographs, indicating that he is extra environment friendly in entrance of purpose.
Trossard actually seems to be extra inventive however in the case of anticipated menace within the build-up phases of play and progressive carrying, they very alike.
Anticipated Menace (xT) is a metric that quantifies how a lot a participant’s actions (like a move or carry) improve their group’s chance of scoring.
This isn’t a transfer that blow Arsenal’s funds out of the water, nor wouldn’t it be Arsenal’s first selection. That is okay although. Bear in mind, Trossard was not first selection when he signed three years in the past. Chelsea flop Mykhailo Mudryk was and look how that turned out.
Like the previous Brighton man, it feels as if Ndiaye is simply ready to blow up as soon as he strikes to an even bigger membership. Maybe Arteta’s facet might hand him the power to do exactly that.
