Arsenal’s attacking setup could have looked vastly different if they had got their way in the January 2023 transfer window. Back then, the Gunners were pushing hard to sign Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk to strengthen their forward line. The deal seemed all but done, only to be hijacked by Chelsea—who splashed £88.5 million on the winger, a move that, to put it mildly, has not lived up to expectations. Mudryk has been absent from Chelsea’s squad list since failing a drugs test in December 2024, which resulted in a ban.
Having missed out on their top target, Arsenal quickly turned their attention to a less high-profile option: Leandro Trossard, a player who had spent four years in the Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion. The Belgian, seen as a reliable, steady performer rather than a crowd-pleasing game-changer, did not trigger a bidding war among Europe’s elite clubs. He joined Arsenal quietly for £27 million, a move that looked like nothing more than a second-choice alternative at the time.
Trossard is by no means a flat-track bully. In the Premier League, few players can consistently deliver decisive moments against the league’s top sides like the Belgian. Across his spells at Arsenal and Brighton, he has scored 19 goals against the Premier League Big Six, surpassing the career tallies of such legendary figures as Ryan Giggs (18 goals) and Eden Hazard (17 goals) against the same set of opponents.
It is for this reason that Leandro Trossard is set to be a key focus for Arne Slot when the Liverpool manager brings his side to the Emirates Stadium tonight. Sources confirm that Trossard came off the bench in the 67th minute of Arsenal’s 3-2 away win over Bournemouth last Saturday, a tactical decision aimed at preserving his fitness for the crucial clash against the Reds.
Despite his importance often flying under the radar, Mikel Arteta is fully aware of Trossard’s value to the team. “There’s no chance I’d ever let him leave,” Arteta stated firmly in November last year, when Saudi Pro League clubs expressed interest in the forward, whose contract runs until summer 2027. “Absolutely no chance. I know exactly what he’s capable of, and he’s a game-changer in our current system.”
Instead of selling him, Arsenal even improved Trossard’s terms (while keeping his contract end date at summer 2027). The forward has more than justified this show of trust: in the 2025 calendar year, he ranks first at Arsenal for combined goals and assists, with 25 contributions (13 goals, 12 assists)—a tally that outpaces the likes of Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard. Mikel Merino comes second with 21 contributions (13 goals, 8 assists), followed by Declan Rice with 20 (9 goals, 11 assists).
However, Trossard has not always been this prolific. During his time at Brighton, a key piece of advice helped him rediscover the form he displayed during his spell at his boyhood club Genk in Belgium. “He wasn’t selfish enough back then,” a source
involved in his transfer from Brighton to Arsenal told the Daily Mail. “Look at his performances for Genk—he had excellent finishing ability. His shot accuracy rate hit 50% back then, which was higher than that of Robert Lewandowski and Mohamed Salah in the same period. It was truly remarkable precision.”
“Someone told him that if he wanted to move to a top club, he needed to be more selfish at Brighton, to be more decisive in chasing goals.”
Trossard took this advice to heart—he scored seven goals in the first 18 Premier League games of the 2022-23 season for the Seagulls, attracting interest from several clubs. “Tottenham did make an offer, but Daniel Levy refused to meet Brighton’s asking price of £20 million plus add-ons. He only wanted to pay £15 million plus add-ons, which Brighton turned down flat.”
“Trossard was originally low down on Arsenal’s transfer wishlist. They only met Brighton’s asking price at the 11th hour, after missing out on their top targets. At the time, the club viewed him as at least a solid squad rotation option, but his performances have since far exceeded all expectations.”
Since then, Trossard has been a consistent source of crucial goals, a run of form that put him in a strong negotiating position during contract renewal talks last year. He initially wanted to extend his contract beyond 2027, but was eventually convinced by Arteta to stay on the back of a significant pay rise.
Before signing the new deal, Trossard was informed that he would likely be a rotational player rather than a regular starter. This proved true at the start of the current season, as he only made two substitute appearances in the first four Premier League games. But now, he has re-established himself as one of Arteta’s most trusted attackers—despite missing two games with an ankle injury, he has started 11 of Arsenal’s subsequent 16 Premier League matches. He never backs down from a challenge.
His increased influence this season stems from a fixed position on the pitch. Last season, he spent 46% of his Premier League minutes playing as a centre-forward and 50% as a left winger; this season, however, 96% of his minutes have come in a fixed left-wing role. This tactical adjustment has allowed him to play to his strengths to maximum effect.
