Birmingham City are reportedly set to sign Auston Trusty on loan from Arsenal, as the defender’s loan deal with former club Colorado Rapids expires.
According to 90 min, Arsenal’s January arrival Auston Trusty will be heading on a loan deal with Birmingham City as he arrives in England from the MLS. Despite starting his contract with the Gunners earlier this year, the defensive prospect remained with Colorado Rapids on loan and will continue to ply his trade away from the Emirates in the 2022/23 season.
Arsenal fans were left frustrated with the lack of signings in January when the club needed a host of players to improve their ranks. Although the highly anticipated arrival of a new striker never materialised in the winter window, the Gunners made a few signings that the supporters barely cared about.
Arsenal signed Matt Turner, who arrived in England last month and added 23-year-old central defender Auston Trusty from Colorado Rapids. The centre-back was immediately allowed to remain with the MLS club on loan, and that contract expires on 17 July.
Trusty is not expected to join up with Arsenal on their pre-season tour to the USA, as he will arrive in England to get acclimatised to his new playing environment. Moreover, the defender is not expected to be thrust into the Gunners’ squad, as a loan move elsewhere is considered the viable option.
Arsenal were always going to loan Trusty to another English club to help him gain valuable experience. And Birmingham City are the destination, as a season in the Championship will help the defender gain practical experience in the English game.
Mikel Arteta does not have space in the squad for Trusty, even though the Arsenal manager can use him as an alternative in cup games and the UEFA Europa League. The right idea is to let him spend the season elsewhere and possibly take a call on his future in the summer of 2023. The idea to send him away on loan was confirmed after Arteta decided to keep William Saliba.
Trusty played in 115 MLS Games and has been capped 21 times for the USMNT across various youth levels. He did help the Rapids to the top of the Western Conference in 2021. The MLS club is also owned by Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, and the move was an internal affair right from the start.
