Alan Smith says Arsenal erred by selling Trossard despite £200m summer spend
Former Manchester United midfielder Alan Smith has told Arsenal they made a huge mistake by selling Leandro Trossard to Besiktas for £17 million this summer, despite splashing nearly £200 million on five new signings. The Gunners secured Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen, Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa, Illan Meslier as third‑choice keeper from Leeds United, and midfielders Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United) and Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge). They also failed to land Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior. Smith argued that letting Trossard go, together with the departures of Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, leaves only Tzolis to replace three attacking players, a risky gamble. He noted Trossard’s record of scoring in big games and questioned whether the Belgian can be adequately replaced by the untested Tzolis. The critique comes after Arsenal ended a 22‑year wait for a Premier League title, raising concerns about whether the squad retains enough firepower to defend it. For fans, the debate hinges on whether the club’s massive outlay on defenders and midfielders compensates for losing a proven goal contributor. Will the new signings gel quickly enough to offset the loss of Trossard’s experience, or should Arsenal have held onto him to keep attacking depth? That is the question supporters need to weigh as the new season approaches.