Arsenal must reconsider their plans if the latest rumour concerning Leandro Trossard and his future at the club is true.
Arsenal have a big decision to make about Leandro Trossard.
The Belgian attacker is a useful member of Mikel Arteta’s squad. Against his former club, Brighton and Hove Albion, last time out, he was able to make an impact from the bench and remind everyone of his quality.
In the dying minutes of the match, as the Seagulls pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, Trossard exploited the space in behind the hosts’ defence. Played through by Kai Havertz, the forward raced through towards goal and demonstrated his trademark composure and deftness as he clipped the ball over Bart Verbruggen.
How important is Leandro Trossard to Arsenal?
Trossard has been hailed as the best finisher in the Arsenal squad and he has certainly had a positive impact at the Emirates Stadium since his £27 million arrival in the January transfer window of 2023.
This season alone, the 29-year-old has chipped in with 12 goals in 37 appearances, across all competitions. His versatility is also useful, as he can operate on either flank, lead the line, or fill in at left-eight if required.
Arsenal are now reportedly set to open new contract talks with Trossard, as the player is keen to ensure that his long-term future is in North London.
Should Mikel Arteta give Leandro Trossard a new contract at Arsenal?
Handing Trossard new terms is not objectively a bad decision, but there are certain risks and potential pitfalls that Arteta must consider before committing to extending the player’s stay.
For a start, Trossard isn’t getting any younger. He still has a good few years left in him at the top level, the but the opportunity to sell him on for anything like the value that Arsenal originally paid for him is not going to be around for much longer.
What’s more, whilst the 32-cap Belgium international is a valuable and impactful player, he has never really been able to establish himself as a regular starter for Arsenal. The chances are that he will never be able to do so. Having squad players who can rotate in and out of the team is important, but Trossard will not take the Gunners to the next level.
Arsenal have handed out long-term contracts to ageing players in the past and have then been stung when their first-team impact has dwindled and they have been unable to shift them out of the club. There is a chance that they could find themselves sn a similar situation with Trossard in a year or so if they hand him fresh terms.
Arsenal have been praised for the change in their approach to player contracts. They have also been rewarded for their faith in young players. There is an argument that, whilst his stock is high, this summer would be the ideal time to cash in on Trossard and invest in a younger player who can offer similar cover and competition in key attacking areas and develop into a regular starter.
READ MORE: All Arsenal player wages for the 2023/24 season, ranked