Ben Foster Critiques Arsenal's Sale of Leandro Trossard
Ben Foster has torn into Arsenal’s decision to cash in on Leandro Trossard this summer, insisting the Premier League champions have let a key title-winning figure walk out of the door far too easily.
Trossard, 31, was central to Arsenal’s first league crown in 22 years last season, chipping in with six goals and six assists in the top flight and knitting together so much of their attacking play from the left. Then it was over. After two-and-a-half seasons in north London, the Belgian made it clear he wanted a new challenge and sealed a £15.3 million move to Besiktas.
Arsenal had already lined up his replacement. Christos Tzolis arrived from Club Brugge in a £34m deal, tasked with filling the void on that left flank. He knows English football from a two-year spell at Norwich City, but that stint hardly lit up the division, and the 22-year-old now walks straight into the pressure cooker of a title defence.
Foster simply doesn’t get it.
“I don’t like the Trossard sale, I really don’t,” the former England goalkeeper said on talkSPORT as he ran through Arsenal’s summer business. “I think he’s such a big, influential player for them and I can’t believe they’ve sold him.”
Arsenal had aimed even higher. They explored a blockbuster move for Vinicius Junior and stayed optimistic about tempting the Brazilian away from Real Madrid until late in the window. Vinicius then signed a new long-term contract at the Bernabeu, leaving the champions to weigh up whether to pivot to another elite attacker before the deadline or trust what they have.
Foster did find one Arsenal-related move he liked – but it involved a rival. On Bruno Guimaraes’ arrival at Manchester United, he was unequivocal: “Big signing, I like him a lot.”
The former Manchester United keeper sees a title race with no obvious favourite before a ball is kicked, yet he is bullish about his old club’s prospects after their end-of-season surge under Michael Carrick.
“I think it’s one of the hardest calls to make that we’ve had in recent years,” he admitted, before nailing his colours to the mast when pushed for a prediction. “I’m going to say Manchester United.
“Last season’s form has set into motion a style of play and an expectation of what those players have to deliver week in, week out for Manchester United. If they can add another one or two then Manchester United are definitely within a shout, but they need to add one or two big ones.
The problem nowadays is that if you’re going to add one or two big ones then it’s £200m. Liverpool need a couple of big ones!”
One deal, in Foster’s eyes, already stands above the rest.
United’s move for Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa might, he believes, prove the “signing of the summer”.
“What a bit of business,” he said. “I’ve watched a load of transfers happen, Tottenham spending a lot of money, Arsenal have just spent a lot of money, but I still think Youri Tielemans is the signing of the summer so far.
“For £30m (£35m), whatever it was, he is a ready-made, good-to-go, starting XI player and if you can spend that money on a ready-to-go starter then it’s worth every single penny.”
There is, in his mind, one glaring hole left in United’s squad.
“I still think they need that one focal point striker, that one big boy striker. The problem is, where are you going to get it from? And it’s going to cost you £100m, it’s the way it goes nowadays.”
Arsenal are gambling that Tzolis can replace Trossard’s influence. United are banking on Tielemans and Guimaraes to drag them back into the fight. The money is flowing again. The question now is whose big calls will define this title race.
