Furious farewell: Leandro Trossard heads to Arsenal after Brighton fallout

Belgium star Leandro Trossard made his intentions to leave Brighton this January very clear, after a statement released by his agency indicated an adamant refusal to play for the South Coast club again.

Prior to last month’s World Cup, Brighton were reportedly keen to discuss the terms of a new contract with the winger, though such a deal never materialised. Now, Roberto de Zerbi has lost one of his most talented players to a Premier League rival.

Josy Comhair, Trossard’s agent, released a statement detailing the situation his client found himself in: “Before Leandro left for Qatar, Brighton’s intention was to have him sign a new deal. This didn’t happen as the parties didn’t come to an agreement. Leandro has now indicated that he is ready to take the next step in his career.”

Comhair also noted that there had been a bust-up of sorts on the training ground following Trossard’s return from the World Cup, and states that there had been no communication between Trossard and his coach, de Zerbi: “After the World Cup, there was an altercation between Leandro and a player in training over a trivial matter. Since then, the coach no longer speaks to Leandro which is obviously not conducive to the atmosphere, nor is it performance-oriented.

“Leandro still had a starting place against Southampton and Arsenal but against Everton he was on the bench… In the run-up to the game against Middlesborough for the FA Cup, Leandro indicated twice that he had problems with his calf. This was the reason why he stopped training. This was, incidentally, in consultation with the medical staff.

“Leandro was told by the fitness coach that he had to train separately. Last Monday, the coach called Leandro and told him that he no longer wanted to see him. A coach who has not communicated directly with his player for four weeks is really incomprehensible. Incidentally, it is also the trainer who has indicated several times that a transfer is the most convenient solution.”

And now, after the fallout, Trossard has secured himself a move away from the Amex and ended up atop the Premier League with Mikel Arteta’s title chasers, Arsenal.

The Belgian made 117 Premier League appearances for Brighton, scoring 25 goals and bagging 13 assists, though it must be noted that seven of these goals came in just 17 appearances this season for the Seagulls.

With Brighton performing so well this season, it was inevitable that such strong interest would be drummed up in their best players

Brighton will no doubt be frustrated with their loss, especially considering he had only recently started putting forward a string of stunning displays that contributed heavily to their surge up the table, though it must be noted that they remain in sixth place, nine points adrift of Champions League football next season – a remarkable achievement for a club that were in the Championship not too long ago.

Arsenal will be hoping their new signing can provide some much-needed depth on the flanks, with Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, and Reiss Nelson their only true first-team wingers. He can also provide an alternative to any of these players should they fall out of form – with Martinelli’s output drying up slightly as of late, Arteta will surely be thankful for Trossard’s arrival.

Brighton, meanwhile, have turned to Solomon March and Kaoru Mitoma recently to win them games, and win them games they have, though de Zerbi’s side are now at risk of losing midfield revelation Moises Caicedo once again to Arsenal in the remaining days of the January transfer window, with the Ecuadorian publicly declaring his desire to move to the league leaders.

With Brighton performing so well this season, it was inevitable that such strong interest would be drummed up in their best players. While it is a shame to see such a talented squad slowly dismantled, it is no surprise that the big hitters have come calling.

Roberto de Zerbi will be hoping that his side can maintain their level of performance for the remainder of the season, regardless of departures. At the halfway point, Brighton currently sit as the best of the rest, holding off the likes of Fulham, Brentford, Liverpool, and Chelsea by a matter of points in the hunt for the European places.