Leandro Trossard has officially left Premier League champions Arsenal, completing a £17 million transfer to Turkish giants Besiktas. The Belgian international’s departure closes a three-and-a-half-year chapter at the Emirates and opens up a fresh conversation about who fills the left-wing gap heading into the new season a storyline East African Arsenal fans will want to track closely as the Gunners defend their crown.
Trossard’s Besiktas Switch: The Details
Arsenal cleared Trossard to travel to Istanbul for a medical ahead of finalising the switch. Besiktas confirmed their new signing was scheduled to land at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport at 7:30pm local time which lines up almost exactly with 7:30pm East Africa Time, since Turkey and Kenya currently share the same UTC+3 time zone in the northern hemisphere summer.
The transfer fee is reported at £17 million in total, made up of an initial £15.3 million with a further £1.7 million achievable through performance-related add-ons a structure increasingly common in this window as clubs manage summer spending after a World Cup year.
What Trossard Gave Arsenal
Since joining in January 2023 for around £27 million, Trossard made 174 appearances for Arsenal and found the net 36 times. He was far more than a squad option his goal against West Ham on 10 May effectively sealed Arsenal’s Premier League title charge last season, a moment many Kenyan Gooners following the run-in on DStv SuperSport will remember vividly.
Across last season alone, Trossard contributed eight goals and 11 assists in 50 appearances in all competitions as Arsenal won the league and reached the Champions League final. Notably, of his 27 Premier League goals in an Arsenal shirt, 17 either drew the Gunners level or put them ahead a “big moment” strike rate bettered only by Bukayo Saka during his time at the club.
At 31, and with just a year left on his contract, this was a sensible moment for Arsenal to cash in and recover a large chunk of their original outlay.
Why This Matters for Arsenal’s Left Flank
Trossard’s exit isn’t happening in isolation. Gabriel Martinelli’s own Arsenal contract runs out in the summer of 2027, meaning Mikel Arteta could be assembling an almost entirely new set of options on the left wing before next season kicks off.
Arsenal are believed to be prioritising a move for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, while PSG’s Bradley Barcola has also been floated as a serious alternative. Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis is another name on the radar, though a deal for him would reportedly cost in the region of £34 million a figure that would make him the most expensive departure in Belgian Pro League history.
With the World Cup now wrapping up, transfer activity across Europe is picking up pace. Trossard’s move looks like the opening domino for Arsenal this window East African fans should expect more news on the left-wing rebuild in the coming weeks.
Quick Facts: Leandro Trossard to Besiktas
- Transfer fee: £17m (£15.3m guaranteed + £1.7m add-ons)
- Arsenal spell: January 2023 – July 2026
- Appearances/Goals for Arsenal: 174 appearances, 36 goals
- Arrival in Istanbul: 7:30pm local time / 7:30pm EAT
- Arsenal’s transfer targets to replace him: Morgan Rogers, Bradley Barcola, Christos Tzolis
Catch all Premier League transfer news and live match action on DStv SuperSport, with kickoff times updated for East African viewers. Stay with us for more updates as Arsenal continue shaping their squad for the new season.
