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The imminent departure of Leandro Trossard to Beşiktaşfor a fee close to the £20m mark would bring to a close one of the more efficient pieces of business Arsenal – a club not always known for their effectiveness in the transfer market – have completed in recent years.
Signed from Brighton at a relatively modest cost in modern market terms, Trossard has delivered immediate and consistent value. His versatility has been central to that return. He has operated across the front line—on the left, through the middle, and as a tactical option in tighter matches—giving Mikel Arteta a reliable solution whenever injuries or fixture congestion have required rotation.
What stands out most is not just his adaptability, but his output relative to minutes and fee. Goals, assists, and decisive contributions have come regularly, often in matches where Arsenal have needed a breakthrough rather than a flourish. He has rarely been a peripheral squad member; instead, he has functioned as a constant, dependable attacking presence who can be trusted in both starting roles and high-impact substitute appearances.
Against that backdrop, the reported move to Beşiktaş feels less like a loss of surplus squad depth and more like the end of a high-value cycle. If Arsenal do recoup a fee close to what they originally invested, it underlines the effectiveness of the transfer from a financial perspective as much as a footballing one. In a market where attacking depth is increasingly expensive, breaking even on a player who has delivered consistent end product is understated strong business.
It is also a stark reminder of what might have been. At the time of his acquisition, the Gunners were heavily interested in signing Mykhailo Mudryk for a fee close to £85 million, before they were gazumped by Chelsea. The Ukrainian failed to adapt to life in the Premier League and eventually failed a drugs test. He was banned from football for four years and now spends his time playing video games.
Whilst he was never the most flamboyant figure, and even Arteta admitted that the Belgian could be grumpy at times. it would be hard to argue that Trossard made a significant contribution during his time in North London. In that sense, Arsenal may consider they extracted full value from him.