Arsenal just made some room. And by room, I mean roughly 20 million pounds worth of Belgian winger who’s now heading to Turkey. Leandro Trossard’s sale to an unnamed Turkish club is done, according to Standard Sport, and that’s the first real step toward what Mikel Arteta really wants this summer: Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.
The Gunners have been circling Rogers for a while now. He’s the dream signing, the kind of player Arteta thinks can push an already stacked squad deeper into Europe. But there’s a problem. Villa doesn’t want to sell him. And the price tag is reportedly around 130 million pounds. That’s a lot of money for a guy who isn’t even a household name yet, but Arsenal has the cash and the Premier League title to dangle in front of him.
Trossard out, Martinelli might be next
The Trossard deal clears some wage space and brings in a modest fee. But the bigger signal might be that Gabriel Martinelli has also been made available this summer. Yes, the same Martinelli who was once untouchable. Now he’s apparently on the market, which tells you how serious Arsenal is about reshaping that left wing.
Martinelli’s form has dipped. He’s still dangerous but not the game-changer he looked like two years ago. If both he and Trossard go, that’s two left wingers out the door. That would leave Gabriel Jesus and maybe Bukayo Saka sliding over, but the real prize is Rogers. He’s versatile, physical, and comfortable cutting in from either flank. Arteta likes that flexibility.
Villa is fighting to keep him but the player wants out
Aston Villa isn’t just sitting there. They’ve already hijacked Newcastle’s move for Johan Manzambi, so they’re active in the market. But they’ve also lost Youri Tielemans to Manchester United after his 35 million pound release clause was triggered. Lucas Digne is reportedly headed to Paris Saint-Germain on a similar clause. That’s two starters gone, and now Arsenal is circling their most electrifying attacker.
The holdup here is the World Cup. England is still in it, and Rogers is part of the squad. That means no serious talks can happen until after the tournament. But behind the scenes, word is that Rogers is keen on the move. He wants to play for the champions. He wants to work with Arteta. And Arsenal wants him badly enough to offload two wingers to make it happen.
So here’s where we are: Trossard is gone. Martinelli is available. Villa is losing players on release clauses. And Morgan Rogers is waiting for his phone to ring. This thing is far from done, but the first hurdle is cleared.
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