What's behind Leandro Trossard's reported Besiktas move?

Last updated: 4 July 2026

For Arsenal supporters in Britain, this is a significant summer story because a proven Premier League contributor could be leaving just after helping the club win the title. Multiple reports say Arsenal and Besiktas have agreed a deal worth €20 million for Leandro Trossard, although there is still no official confirmation in the supplied reports. The main unresolved point is the player's own agreement with the Turkish club, with different outlets describing personal terms as either close or still subject to a substantial gap.

Behind the Headlines

Trossard joined Arsenal from Brighton in January 2023 after the club's pursuit of Mykhailo Mudryk ended without a deal. Arseblog News says the Belgian cost about £23 million and went on to record 36 goals and 34 assists in 174 appearances.

His contract situation helps explain why a sale is being considered now. The 31-year-old is entering the final year of his deal, while Arsenal are reported to be looking for another left-sided attacker. The Mirror reported on 30 June that Besiktas had already made a verbal offer worth up to €20 million and that Trossard wanted to assess his future after Belgium's World Cup campaign.

Transfer fee

The amount one club pays another to acquire a player's registration.

Add-ons

Extra payments triggered by agreed conditions, such as appearances or performance targets.

Personal terms

The player's contract details, including salary and length of deal.

Here's What Happened

The sequence began with Besiktas pursuing Trossard as a leading target. Football Italia reported an offer of €18 million plus €2 million in add-ons, while Arseblog News and Daily Cannon later said Arsenal and Besiktas had agreed a €20 million deal.

That does not make the transfer complete. Daily Cannon said there was no word on whether Trossard would accept Besiktas' offer, while Turkish-Football reported that negotiations over the player's contract were still active. That report said Besiktas offered three years at €7 million net per season, while Trossard's camp wanted four years at €10 million.

The World Cup has been part of the timing. The supplied reports say Trossard contributed goals and assists for Belgium, while the Mirror said his camp did not want transfer distractions. Arseblog News said official confirmation was likely to follow his World Cup commitments.

Besiktas' wider recruitment plan also matters. Football Italia said new coach Vincenzo Italiano wanted either Trossard or Sassuolo winger Armand Laurienté, with only one expected to be signed. Sassuolo's asking price of €25 million to €30 million was reported to be above the proposal made for Laurienté, making the Trossard route financially different.

Voices & Opinions

Trossard's own public position has been cautious. Speaking before Belgium's World Cup warm-up match against Tunisia, he did not claim that a move was agreed and kept the focus on his existing contract.

At the moment I am still at Arsenal, so there is not much to say about that.

There is also a clear football debate behind the transfer. Pain in the Arsenal argued that Trossard's output and big-game contributions made a case for keeping him, while pointing to Gabriel Martinelli's weaker Premier League numbers last season. The same source credited Trossard with eight goals and 11 assists in 50 matches.

The Bigger Picture

A sale would be part of a broader reshaping of Arsenal's left side rather than an isolated piece of business. TEAMtalk reported doubts over both Trossard and Martinelli and linked Arsenal with Bradley Barcola and Morgan Rogers. Arseblog News also said part of the Trossard fee could go towards Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis, while noting links to Barcola and Rogers.

For Arsenal, the reported €20 million would recover a large share of the fee paid in 2023 for a player now 31 and entering his final contract year. For Besiktas, the appeal is a forward with recent Premier League title experience and sustained output in England. The trade-off is clear: Arsenal would lose experience and dependable output while creating room, and possibly funds, for a younger or different profile on the left.

The Road Ahead

The next confirmed step is still missing from the supplied reports: Trossard must agree his own terms before the transfer can be completed. Until Arsenal, Besiktas or the player formally announce an agreement, the club-to-club fee remains a reported deal rather than a finished transfer.

Attention will therefore stay on the end of Trossard's World Cup commitments and whether the gap in contract terms can be closed.