Leandro Trossard Joins Besiktas from Arsenal

Leandro Trossard’s Arsenal chapter is over. The next one opens on the Bosphorus.

The 31-year-old Belgium international has completed a permanent move from Arsenal to Besiktas, sealing a switch to the Turkish Super Lig for a reported £15.3 million fee.

It is a significant step for a player who arrived in north London from Brighton in January 2023 and quickly embedded himself in Mikel Arteta’s attacking carousel. Trossard brought versatility, intelligence between the lines and, at times, a ruthless edge in front of goal.

Across his spell with the Gunners, he racked up 174 appearances in all competitions, scoring 36 goals and supplying 34 assists. Those are not peripheral numbers. They belong to a forward trusted to influence big games, whether starting on the left, drifting inside, or operating as a false nine when the system demanded it.

His contribution peaked in the campaign that finally ended Arsenal’s long wait for the Premier League title. Arteta’s side, crowned champions last season for the first time in more than two decades, leaned on depth and variety in attack; Trossard played his part in that surge, adding end product and experience to a young, hungry squad.

By the time he left, he was not just another signing from Brighton. He was a World Cup performer for Belgium, a title winner in England and a player with a highlight reel that stretched from the south coast to the Emirates.

Arsenal marked his departure with a note of appreciation on their official channels, thanking “Leo” for his “valued contribution” and wishing him well for the future. It was the tone reserved for a professional who had done exactly what he was brought in to do.

Now comes a different kind of challenge. Besiktas, one of Turkey’s traditional heavyweights, are betting on his pedigree, his creativity and his know-how on the European stage. Istanbul offers a new backdrop, but the expectations will feel familiar: create, score, decide games.

For Trossard, the question is simple and sharp: after helping to end a title drought in England, can he now become the spark for a Besiktas side chasing its own revival?