Besiktas eyes Arsenal‑Trossard signing to fill roster gap

Besiktas president Serdal Adali says the club has pursued Belgian winger Leandro Trossard for a year and sees the Arsenal‑Trossard deal as a chance to plug a roster gap after missing out on the player last summer, with Arsenal confirming on Tuesday that a transfer agreement with Besiktas has been reached.

Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images. Arsenal wanted a sell‑on clause in Trossard’s contract, Serdal Adali explained, saying, “Arsenal wants a share of the proceeds from any future sale, even for 31‑year‑old Trossard,” Adali said.

Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images. Adali added that the Trukish club had offered €25 million for the Belgian international last year and proposed an €8 million salary, but the deal fell through because the player was not released.

Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images. This time Besiktas is signing Trossard on a lower salary, yet the transfer remains incomplete until he passes a medical and signs the contract.

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images. It remains unclear whether Arsenal secured the requested sell‑on clause, but the parties appear satisfied with the arrangement.

Arsenal will receive less money than in the previous offer, but the club has already secured the Premier League title, with Trossard contributing significantly to the triumph. His performances this season helped cement Arsenal’s championship campaign.

Trossard’s personal terms are also lower than last year, although he earned a pay rise in his final season with Arsenal and finished with a Premier League winner’s medal. The Belgian winger’s experience is expected to strengthen Besiktas’s attacking options.

Besiktas missed out on the player they targeted last summer, but the club now believes they have secured the talent they need. The signing aims to bolster the squad ahead of upcoming challenges.