Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has raised eyebrows over the club's decision to sell Leandro Trossard to Besiktas for £17 million. His main concern centres on the fact that the Gunners have let go of multiple attacking players without bringing in a sufficient replacement.
This summer, Arsenal explored options to strengthen their left flank, considering players like Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior, but ultimately, no deals materialised. In the meantime, the team has seen the departure of Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus, with only Christos Zolis joining the attack.
Smith commented:
Time will tell, but on paper, losing Trossard looks to be the most significant blow. He performed well in crucial matches, scoring vital goals, so this decision is hard to fathom.
Whether Zolis can replicate that is another question entirely. Expecting him to do so right away may be asking too much.
They've let go of Martinelli, Trossard, and Jesus; that’s three attacking players lost, and they've really only brought in Zolis. So, there are definitely questions that remain unanswered.
Smith also opined that Arsenal's challenge for the title could be more rigorous than initially expected. He was particularly impressed by Manchester City's recent signings, including Enzo Fernandez:
In the weeks leading up to the season, there was a lot of talk about Arsenal potentially losing the title only to themselves. I'm not so sure now. I think City will be an even tougher opponent. They've spent big and made some excellent signings, with the latest being World Cup champion - Enzo Fernandez.
