Peter Maes, the man who oversaw Trossard in his early years at Genk, confessed to being taken aback by the player’s transformation. Speaking to Het Belang van Limburg, later published by Voetbal Primeur, he recalled a youngster who lacked the temperament to lead.
"At that time, I didn’t immediately see Leandro as a true captain. Because he’s primarily someone who focuses on his own game," he said. "At least when I was training him. He wasn’t a regular starter yet, and he often sulked in training. Perhaps he’s evolved since then, because he’s doing a very good job at Arsenal now."
Six years on, Maes recognises someone altogether different at Arsenal.
"It’s true that Leandro is a strong personality," he added. "In that respect, he’s a candidate to be captain of the Red Devils, especially considering everyone who’s absent. He believes in himself deeply and can convey that belief to the rest of the team."
A captaincy for Belgium would mark a seismic shift for Trossard. With Kevin De Bruyne sidelined by injury and Youri Tielemans, who is the regular captain, unavailable to play, Rudi Garcia might hand over the armband to Trossard.