Blow for Chelsea as Brighton ace Leandro Trossard plays down Stamford Bridge links
According to The Sun, Brighton & Hove Albion star, Leandro Trossard has rubbished reports that Chelsea have reached out to him to secure his services.
The Belgian international has been a key player for the Seagulls since he arrived at The Amex in 2019. He has since gone on to make 117 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 25 goals and assisting 17 more.
With seven goals and three assists in 14 games this season, Trossard has taken his performances up a notch. It includes a sensational hat trick at Anfield, not something that many players can boast of. This has certainly caught the attention of Chelsea, now managed by former Brighton boss Graham Potter.
The 47-year-old replaced Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge earlier this season and is well acquainted with Trossard’s abilities as a player. Having managed him for three years at the Amex, one can argue that Potter is as well placed as any manager to get the best out of the Belgian.
Leandro Trossard on Chelsea links: "Chelsea have in any case not yet reported. Not with Brighton and not with me. I have to wait and see", tells @HLN_BE. 🚨🔵 #CFC
"I want to finish strong at Brighton and leave for Qatar with that good feeling". #BHAFC pic.twitter.com/TEd1HNWPql
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 12, 2022
Trossard’s contract with Brighton expires in the summer of 2023. While the Seagulls do have the option to extend it by another year, it leaves them in a precarious spot when it comes to negotiations. Given his performances of late, there should be no shortage of suitors keen on his services either.
The 27-year-old is staying grounded and is keen to finish strongly with Brighton ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Impressing with Belgium at the showpiece event will only boost Trossard’s profile even further.
“I want to finish strong at Brighton and leave for Qatar with that good feeling.”
Chelsea, for their part, could do with a player of the Belgian’s abilities. They lack serious firepower upfront and have seen the trio of Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic and Raheem Sterling, all disappoint when deployed out wide.
Primarily a left-winger, Trossard is capable of playing upfront and also in the number 10’s role. A dynamic presence going forward, he will add the x-factor to the Chelsea attack. Given that Potter needs to steady the Blue ship soon, bringing in faces that he is familiar with to help out in January could be an easy way out.
There is no better time than now for the 27-year-old to move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs and take his talent to the next level. However, it remains to be seen if he is willing to sacrifice the relative stability at Brighton for the successful albeit chaotic nature of life at Chelsea.
