Keown: Arsenal will sign Trossard replacement, but £100m for Rogers unlikely

Hupu, July 15 — Arsenal have officially confirmed that the club has reached an agreement with Besiktas for the permanent transfer of 31-year-old forward Leandro Trossard. The player has been granted permission to undergo a medical at the Turkish giants.

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said in an interview that Trossard was a diligent and outstanding meritorious player for the Gunners, and his departure represents a significant loss to the team. However, Keown believes the club must have already secured a top-tier new signing to replace him on the left wing.

Keown's Comments on Trossard's Departure

"I'm not surprised about Trossard. He was an impeccable contributor for Arsenal, delivering exceptionally impressive performances after joining. Arsenal usually finds it hard to recoup high transfer fees when letting players go, so I think the club weighed it internally: 'We need to bring in a new winger. Should we let Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli go?' And at that time, Martinelli was in great form. What's more, Martinelli's performances for the Brazilian national team were also outstanding."

Potential Replacements

Keown believes that if Arsenal is willing to let go of a player of Trossard's caliber this summer, the team must have already locked in a highly talented replacement.

• Paris Saint-Germain's Barcola and Club Brugge's Tzolis have both been linked with the Gunners.
• However, reports indicate that Aston Villa's English star Morgan Rogers is Arsenal's top target on their transfer list for the new season, as the player can operate both as a winger and in midfield.

"Fans will be sad to see Trossard leave, but I can understand the thinking behind this transfer operation. They must have already secured a player of exceptional quality to fill the void on the left wing."

Rogers' Price Tag and Keown's Doubts

It is reported that Aston Villa has set a staggering £100 million price tag for Rogers this summer, and the player himself is very eager to move to the Emirates Stadium. However, Keown has expressed doubts about whether spending such a huge transfer fee on Rogers is the right recruitment path for his former club.

"Goodness! Not long ago, Rogers was still at Manchester City, and all teams had the chance to sign him. I'm not sure Arsenal will choose this recruitment route. I think it's unlikely. We'll wait and see."

Alternative Options

Keown also highlighted Arsenal's youth prospects and potential alternative uses for the transfer budget:

"Arsenal also has Dowman emerging from the youth ranks, who will primarily play as a number 10 attacking midfielder. The club doesn't want to block the path for young players either. Perhaps this budget will be used to bring in another striker. We'll see. If they can sign a quality striker, that would be a major signing."

Source: British Metro