Arsenal have been offered Leandro Trossard after losing out on long-term target Mykhaylo Mudryk - but face competition from north London rivals Tottenham for the Brighton star.
The Gunners' proposed move for Ukraine international Mudryk was hijacked by Chelsea after the Blues completed the signing for around £87million on an eight-and-a-half year deal. Mudryk underwent medical tests on Sunday morning before the Blues announced the arrival during their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Having lost out on Mudryk, Arsenal's attention will turn to other targets and Trossard has emerged as someone the Gunners could look at with his Brighton future firmly in doubt. Brighton could be ready to cash in on Trossard after the player's agent slammed Roberto De Zerbi and confirmed that the Italian had humiliated the forward.
Mirror Football understands that Trossard's agent has offered him to Arsenal as Brighton attempt to solve a sticky situation involving their top Premier League scorer this season. Trossard has notched seven top-flight goals but hasn't found the net since the World Cup break - blanking against Southampton and Arsenal in the process.
Trossard's representative Josy Comhair has made a number of calls to try and find him a new club this month and the Gunners were supposedly one of those in the phonebook. Arsenal are in the market for another attacker as Arteta tries to bolster his front line and Trossard could be perfect for their system and approach.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are also firmly in the race to sign Trossard and saw a £12m bid rejected by Brighton over the weekend, according to The Athletic. With his contract set to run out next summer, Trossard could be available for a cut price but the Seagulls value him at way above the offer Spurs lodged.
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It is understood that it may take a bid of around £25m-30m for Brighton to sell up, although the Seagulls won't be bullied into an enforced sale. The club are angered by Trossard's actions, however, as De Zerbi criticised the forward for his behaviour after being dropped for the trip to Everton on January 3.
The Belgian was forced to train on his own throughout the week, having also been left out against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup as Trossard was given a rude awakening by his manager. De Zerbi claimed he didn't like his attitude and admitted he has got to work hard as Brighton are not a "big team".
"Leandro isn't in the list of the players for tomorrow," he told reporters during his press conference on Friday afternoon. "Leandro knows very well my opinion. The last training session before the Middlesbrough game, when he understood he wouldn't play, he left the session without saying anything to me and it's not good.
"On the Monday, I spoke with him and I explained I don't like this attitude, this behaviour. He knows very well if he wants to play with Brighton with me, he has to work hard, he has to run, he has to be in the right way because we are not a big team, a Real Madrid, Barcelona or another big, big team."
After being dropped for the game against Liverpool, agent Comhair released a statement which slammed the way De Zerbi had handled the situation. Trossard was one of Brighton's most important players before the World Cup, having scored five goals under the Italian following his appointment as the club's manager.
"In the run-up to the match against Middlesbrough for the FA Cup, Leandro had already indicated twice that he had problems with his calf," Comhair said. "This was the reason why he stopped training. This was, incidentally, in consultation with the medical staff. The manager told Leandro that he had to train separately.
"Last Monday, the manager [De Zerbi] humiliated Leandro in [the] group and indicated that he no longer wanted to see him. A manager who has not communicated directly with his player for four weeks is really incomprehensible."
"It is also the manager who has indicated several times that a transfer is the most convenient solution," the statement added. "It is therefore important that Brighton cooperates with a potential transfer during this transfer period and shows a benevolent attitude, which is beneficial to both parties."
Brighton didn't need Trossard as the Seagulls thrashed Liverpool on Saturday afternoon thanks to Solly March's brace and Danny Welbeck's late strike. It was a result that has lifted the Seagulls up to seventh but they still remain eight points behind fourth place Manchester United.
