Beşiktaş and Arsenal close to a major deal: Trossard’s transfer still awaits the player’s key approval
According to reports from British and Turkish sports media, Beşiktaş have taken a major step toward signing Leandro Trossard from Arsenal in a deal worth around 20 million euros, or approximately 17 million pounds. Although it is reported that the clubs have reached an agreement on the basic terms of the transfer, the deal had still not been completed on 04 July 2026 because the Belgian forward had not given his final consent to move to Istanbul. This means that at this stage it is possible to speak of advanced negotiations and a club agreement, but not of an officially completed transfer. According to the available information, the final decision remains with Trossard, his representatives and their assessment of the sporting project that Beşiktaş are offering him. Neither Arsenal nor Beşiktaş had announced confirmation of the transfer on their official channels by the time this text was completed, which is an important caveat in a story that has already attracted major attention in the summer transfer window.
An agreement between the clubs does not mean the end of negotiations
According to a report by The Hard Tackle, which cites Turkey’s Sporx, Arsenal accepted Beşiktaş’s offer worth around 20 million euros for the 31-year-old Belgian international. The same report states that Trossard has still not given the green light to move to the Turkish club and that his response could come after the end of Belgium’s participation at the 2026 World Cup. Such a development is common in transfers of high-profile players, especially when the transfer fee, salary, contract length, bonuses, tax details and sporting role in the new team are being aligned at the same time. Clubs can agree the framework of a deal, but a transfer cannot be completed without agreed personal terms and a medical examination. That is why it is currently most accurate to say that Beşiktaş are in a strong position, but that the final outcome still depends on the player’s consent.
British media, including The Sun, reported that the structure of the deal could include a base amount and add-ons, with the total value standing at around 17 million pounds. That figure is in line with the euro estimates mentioned in Turkish and international reports, although the official clubs have not released any details. In transfers of this kind, the final publicly confirmed value often differs from the first media figures because bonuses can be linked to appearances, European competitions, goals or future club success. For Arsenal, such a fee would represent a way to monetise a player who is entering the final year of his contractual commitment, while Beşiktaş would gain an experienced and tactically adaptable forward. Until there is an official announcement, media information should be viewed as a credible indicator of the direction of negotiations, but not as a legally concluded deal.
Why Arsenal are ready to open the door to a departure
Trossard joined Arsenal from Brighton in January 2023, and the London club’s official website describes him as a winger who immediately brought a new dimension to Mikel Arteta’s attacking line. Over the past three and a half years, he has been an important part of the rotation, often as a player who can cover the left wing, the second-striker position or the role of a false nine. His value to Arsenal was not only in goals, but also in his ability to move between the lines, speed up combination play and change the rhythm of a match from the bench. However, according to Transfermarkt data, his contract expires on 30 June 2027, which means Arsenal in the summer of 2026 find themselves at a classic negotiating point: sell now for a transfer fee or risk a weaker position later. In that context, accepting an offer of around 20 million euros appears to be a rational move for a club that is simultaneously planning to refresh its attacking options.
Over recent seasons, Arsenal have built a team with a clear emphasis on younger key players, greater athleticism and depth in wide positions. Trossard, born on 04 December 1994 in Waterschei, was 31 years old on 04 July 2026 according to Transfermarkt, so his market value and the length of any future contract have to be viewed differently than in the case of players at an earlier stage of their careers. Such transfers are often sensitive both sporting-wise and financially: the player is still good enough for the top level, but the club has to assess when the right moment to sell is. Arsenal’s official transfer centre for the 2026/27 season shows that the London club are active in shaping their squad, which further explains their readiness for outgoing deals. If Trossard leaves, Arsenal would lose a reliable member of the rotation, but at the same time they would open up space in attack and reduce the risk of losing him without a significant fee a year later.
What Trossard would bring to Beşiktaş
For Beşiktaş, Trossard’s arrival would represent one of the most high-profile moves of the summer transfer window in Turkey. The Belgian is a player who does not depend solely on speed down the touchline, but can attack the half-space, enter the final third and connect midfield with attack. According to Transfermarkt, his primary position is left wing, but in his career he has also often been used as a second striker or central forward in systems that require movement in front of the opposing defence. Such versatility is especially valuable for a team that wants to play European matches while also coping with the rhythm of the domestic league. With Trossard, Beşiktaş would gain a player with experience in the Premier League, the Champions League and major international tournaments, which is a profile that rarely arrives without serious financial and sporting ambition.
From a sporting perspective, Trossard could solve several problems at once. Last season Beşiktaş often searched for more stable production from the wide positions, and a player of Arsenal’s profile would bring greater quality in the final third, more rotation options and the ability to play in tight spaces against low blocks. In matches in the Turkish Süper Lig, especially against opponents who often defend deep in Istanbul, the value of a player who can change the direction of an attack with one touch can be decisive. Trossard, meanwhile, is not a classic dribbler who constantly stays by the touchline, but a forward who likes to move inside and look for a shot or the final pass. That is why his arrival would also affect the structure of the team, because it would demand different coordination from full-backs, midfielders and the central striker in the final third.
Beşiktaş under Vincenzo Italiano are seeking a new step forward
Beşiktaş’s official website announced on 06 June 2026 that Vincenzo Italiano had been appointed head coach of the first team until the end of the 2027/28 season. The arrival of the Italian specialist is an important part of the club’s wider plan because Italiano has a reputation as a coach who insists on intensity, organised pressing and attacking automatisms. In such an environment, Trossard could fit in as a technically strong and tactically disciplined player, capable of playing in a system with multiple positional rotations in attack. Beşiktaş’s official website also shows that the club are already working on a new squad and preparations for the season, including the arrival of Kassoum Ouattara and the start of the European schedule against Midtjylland. The Trossard transfer, if completed, would send a message that the Istanbul club are not satisfied with cosmetic changes, but want to visibly raise the level of quality.
The context of the Turkish championship further explains the ambition. According to beIN SPORTS’ table for the 2025/26 season, Beşiktaş finished fourth in the Süper Lig with 60 points, behind Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Trabzonspor. Such a finish brings a European perspective, but at a club of Beşiktaş’s size, fourth place is not the ultimate goal. The gap to the leading rivals shows that the team needs a higher level of consistency, especially in matches that decide the title and qualification for European competitions. Signing a proven player from the Premier League could help reduce that gap, but only if he fits into the wider playing model and if the club avoids an imbalance between famous names and actual tactical needs. That is exactly why Trossard’s possible arrival is an important test of Beşiktaş’s new sporting policy under Italiano.
The Belgian international is making his decision at a sensitive moment
Trossard’s decision is not taking place in an ordinary part of the calendar. FIFA included the Belgian forward in Belgium’s official squad for the 2026 World Cup, and the national-team context affects the dynamics of the transfer. During major tournaments, players often postpone final negotiations in order to avoid additional pressure, especially when the decision can change the final part of their club career. FIFA reported that Belgium defeated Senegal 3:2 after a major comeback and thereby secured a place among the last 16 national teams. In such a schedule, it is not unusual for a player and his representatives to seek a few days of space before giving a definitive answer to the club that wants to sign him.
For Trossard himself, the decision is layered. At Arsenal he has continuity in a top European environment, he knows the league, the coach and his teammates, but next season he could have a smaller or different role if the club brings in new attacking options. At Beşiktaş, on the other hand, he would probably gain the status of one of the key players and a stronger responsibility in the final third. Moving from the Premier League to the Süper Lig does not necessarily have to mean a sporting step backwards if the project is ambitious, but it does bring a change in competitive environment, media pressure and supporters’ expectations. Beşiktaş are a club with a large fan base and a strong identity, and players who arrive as major reinforcements in Istanbul quickly find themselves under scrutiny. That is why Trossard’s final word is not merely a formality, but a decision about role, career rhythm and the type of pressure he wants to accept.
The financial stake and the message to the market
If the transfer is completed for approximately 20 million euros, it would be a deal with clear sporting risk for Beşiktaş, but also potentially major impact. Trossard does not have the profile of a player for future resale at a large profit, which means the club would primarily be investing in immediate quality, experience and results. Such transfers are justified by titles, qualification for European competitions or clear growth in team efficiency, not only by long-term market value. Arsenal, meanwhile, would get the chance to recover a significant part of the money invested and adapt their attacking squad to a new cycle. At a time when clubs are monitoring financial sustainability and spending rules ever more carefully, selling a player in the final year of his contract is often just as important as an incoming transfer.
For the Turkish market, Trossard’s possible arrival would also carry symbolic weight. In recent years, the Süper Lig has often attracted well-known names from Europe’s strongest leagues, but the success of such deals depends on the player’s motivation, physical condition and the way the coach uses him. Trossard’s advantage is that he is not arriving as a player relying only on former status, but as a forward who is still active in the Belgian national team and under contract with a club at the top of the Premier League. By signing him, Beşiktaş would gain international visibility, but the real value of the transfer would be measured by what he brings on the pitch. That is why the eventual completion of the deal will be important not only as transfer-window news, but also as an indicator of how far Beşiktaş want and are able to go in the new sporting cycle.
What is expected in the next stage of negotiations
The next steps in this deal are relatively clear. If Trossard accepts the project, the clubs should finalise the documentation, arrange the dates for the medical examination and align the details of the contract, including salary, bonuses and the length of the cooperation. If the Belgian decides to stay at Arsenal or wait for other offers, Beşiktaş will have to turn to alternatives, because preparations for the season and European qualifiers cannot be tied to the uncertainty of one transfer. According to the available information, interest from other clubs has not been completely ruled out, which further explains why the player does not have to rush his final answer. Arsenal, meanwhile, have an interest in maintaining control over the process because the player’s value can change if negotiations drag on or if more interested parties appear. Until an official announcement, the most important fact remains that a club agreement has reportedly been reached, but that Leandro Trossard’s transfer to Beşiktaş is still awaiting the decision of the player himself.
Sources:
- The Hard Tackle / Sporx – report on Beşiktaş’s accepted offer for Leandro Trossard and the fact that the player has still not given his final consent (link)
- The Sun – report on the value of the deal between Arsenal and Beşiktaş in pounds and the status of personal terms (link)
- Arsenal FC – official profile of Leandro Trossard and information on his arrival from Brighton in January 2023 (link)
- Arsenal FC – official club transfer centre for checking current arrivals and departures (link)
- Transfermarkt – player profile, contract status, market value, position and national-team data (link)
- Beşiktaş JK – official confirmation of Vincenzo Italiano’s appointment as head coach until the end of the 2027/28 season (link)
- Beşiktaş JK – official first-team page, current squad, coaching staff and club news (link)
- beIN SPORTS Türkiye – Trendyol Süper Lig table for the 2025/26 season and Beşiktaş’s position (link)
- FIFA – Belgium’s official squad at the 2026 World Cup and confirmation of Trossard’s national-team status (link)
- FIFA – report on Belgium’s victory against Senegal at the 2026 World Cup (link)