Who could sign Leandro Trossard from Brighton?

Leandro Trossard has been key for Brighton this season
Leandro Trossard has been key for Brighton this season / Robin Jones/GettyImages
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Some drama has been unfolding at the AMEX this week as it is looking increasingly likely that Leandro Trossard could leave the club in the near future after a falling out with head coach Roberto De Zerbi.

Brighton have been one of the form teams in the Premier League in recent weeks despite having to deal with the sudden departure of Graham Potter who was poached by Chelsea. They swiftly got De Zerbi through the door from Shakhtar Donetsk and he has been very impressive so far.

Unwanted drama has arisen with one of his key players though and it could cause some disruption.


What is happening with Leandro Trossard?

The drama seemed to begin when Trossard left Brighton training ahead of the Middlesbrough match when he found out that he would not be starting the game. De Zerbi discussed the situation in his recent press conference and he said: "Leandro knows very well my opinion. The last session before the Middlesbrough game, when he understood he wasn't playing, he left the session without saying anything. That isn't good. On Monday I spoke with him and explained I don't like this attitude."

The player has since been training alone and it is clear he will not be playing against Liverpool at the weekend. An official response was issued by Trossard's camp on Friday afternoon which said: "Before Leandro left for Qatar, Brighton's intention was to have Leandro sign on. This did not happen, as the parties did not come to an agreement. Leandro has also indicated that he is ready for his next step.

"After the World Cup, there was an altercation between Leandro and a player in training over a trivial matter. Since then, the manager no longer speaks to Leandro, which is obviously not conducive to the atmosphere, nor is it performance-oriented.

"Leandro still had a starting place against Southampton and Arsenal, but against Everton he was on the bench. He was also not included in the five substitutions that took place at the time, and this without any explanation.

"In the run-up to the game against Middlesbrough for the FA Cup, Leandro had already indicated twice that he had problems with his calf. 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 humiliated Leandro in 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. Incidentally, it is also the manager who has indicated several times that a transfer is the most convenient solution.

"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."


Who could sign Trossard from Brighton?

Brighton recently took up the option to extend Trossard's contract by another 12 months but that has not put an end to speculation that he will be leaving the club in the near future.

Many clubs have shown a serious interest in the Belgian attacking midfielder such as Newcastle United and Chelsea. Newcastle's sporting director, Dan Ashworth, was the man who brought Trossard to Brighton in the first place.

Another team that has recently made some moves towards signing Trossard is Tottenham Hotspur who are in serious need of some creativity in the squad. Spurs made contact with Brighton earlier this week, as 90min reported, to learn about Trossard's availability but he is not thought to be one of Antonio Conte's top targets in January.

That could change though for multiple teams if the situation continues to escalate and it becomes clear that Trossard will be leaving Brighton immediately. His current deal now runs until 2024. Trossard has scored seven goals and added three assists in 16 Premier League appearances this season.