Transfers
Trossard set for Besiktas switch: Arsenal agree €20m deal with Turkish rivals
Arsenal have reached agreement with Turkish club Besiktas over the transfer of Leandro Trossard, valuing the 31-year-old Belgium international at €20 million. The deal is contingent on personal terms being finalised, with Trossard keen on a move to Istanbul.
Negotiations over a three-year contract are progressing, with the player set to earn €7 million per season. Trossard’s current contract at Arsenal expires at the end of the season, leaving the club with no option but to sell if they wish to recoup value.
The Belgian forward has been the subject of Turkish interest for more than a year. Fenerbahçe appeared close to signing him last summer, but Arsenal’s €20 million valuation blocked the move. Besiktas, who finished fourth in Turkey last season, now look set to land the player.
Trossard’s contract situation at Arsenal has been unresolved since talks on an extension stalled last year. A financial uplift to his existing deal was agreed, but no long-term solution was reached. His departure this summer is now inevitable unless a new agreement is reached before the transfer window closes.
On the pitch, Trossard played 31 matches for Arsenal last season, contributing six goals and six assists. In the Champions League, he provided five assists, including in the final against Paris Saint-Germain, where Arsenal lost on penalties.
His form carried into the World Cup, where he started four matches for Belgium and is joint-top scorer. Against New Zealand, he scored twice and set up Kevin De Bruyne’s goal in a 4-0 victory.
Trossard also played a pivotal role in Belgium’s dramatic round-of-16 comeback against Senegal. He flicked the ball onto Youri Tielemans’ head for the 2-2 equaliser, having earlier been involved in a heated exchange with the midfielder.
After the World Cup and a short break, Trossard will continue his career at Besiktas, joining the club on the Bosphorus in Istanbul.