'Not so many' – Roberto De Zerbi sends message to the £30m Arsenal star he 'humiliated' at Brighton

Roberto De Zerbi and former Brighton player Leandro Trossard did not part company on the best of terms.

Trossard was a key figure for the Seagulls under the Italian but their relationship became strained when it became clear Trossard wanted to leave.

De Zerbi publicly criticised his attitude and left him out of an important Premier League fixture against Liverpool in January 2023, which Trossard and his agent did not take well.

The Belgian international’s agent Josy Comhair then released a stinging statement, “The manager [De Zerbi] humiliated Leandro in [the] group and indicated that he no longer wanted to see him. A manager who has not communicated directly with his player for four weeks is really incomprehensible. It is also the manager who has indicated several times that a transfer is the most convenient solution,” the statement added. “It is therefore important that Brighton cooperates with a potential transfer.”

De Zerbi countered that he makes decisions on what’s best for the team. “He knows very well that if he wants to play with Brighton with me, he has to work hard, he has to run, he has to be in the right way.”

Trossard and his agent did indeed get their wish and the attacker moved to Arsenal for £30m in January 2023. Trossard and the title-chasing Gunners will be at the Amex Stadium on Saturday. “He is playing well, not so many times in starting 11, but he is a great player,” said the Brighton head coach. “He was a great player for us and now Arsenal. Arsenal have a lot of great attackers... but he is an important player."