Leandro Trossard believes Arsenal will get the best out of him by playing him behind a central striker.
The Belgian was speaking after completing his £27million move from Brighton, signing a long-term contract at the Emirates. Trossard arrives in north London in the midst of a fine individual season, scoring seven times for the Seagulls during their impressive Premier League campaign.
But his time at the Amex Stadium came to a swift conclusion after a falling out with manager Roberto De Zerbi saw him push for a move. And the 28-year-old now has his wish and is confident he can help the league leaders “achieve their dreams”.
Comfortable in a variety of positions, Trossard believes it is that versatility which helped persuade manager Mikel Artea to pull the trigger on a move. “They told me they really like me as a player, that I would really suit the system and how they want to play,” he told the club’s official website.
“It helps me that I’m versatile and that I can play in different positions. They’re looking forward to working with me and vice versa. I’m really excited to work with them and I think Mikel is a top coach.”
However, Trossard has revealed that in his opinion, his best position is playing as an orthodox number 10, playing in the hole behind a centre forward. He added: “I like to be in the pocket behind the striker. On the wings, I can explore myself as well. I’m comfortable in either of those positions but if I were to choose, behind the striker – but it all depends on the system.”
Arsenal will now await Premier League clearance to discover whether he can make his debut in this weekend’s clash with Manchester United. But even if that comes too soon, he is confident he will help the Gunners achieve their lofty aims between now and May.
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Trossard continued: “I’m really excited to get started. This is a big club and I’m ready to show the fans what I can do. Everyone has seen how well we’re doing already and I’m here to help achieve their dreams – including myself.
“I’m going to take it day by day, work hard and try to help the team to achieve their goals. [I want to] get better as well. I know the manager is a great coach and I hope to be involved in doing great things and getting better as a player in every aspect.
“I’m really excited to see the fans in the stadium. I hope I can give you my all. I want to try and create as many magic moments as possible, and hopefully we can celebrate together.
“[The club] has so much history and I want to be part of that history going on. That’s why I joined this project. I’m really excited to be here. I want to show myself to all the fans and on the biggest stage.”
