"We have other players" - De Zerbi refuses to discuss £22m Arsenal star

Roberto De Zerbi refused to speak about former Brighton player Leandro Trossard.

The Belgium international will face the Albion for the first time since leaving the club in January to join Mikel Arteta’s side for £22m.

The 28-year-old spent three-and-a-half years at the Amex Stadium but left on sour terms with head coach De Zerbi, after the Italian dropped him from the Brighton matchday squad due to attitude issues, as he attempted to force a move away from the club.

When asked about his former player, De Zerbi said: “Trossard is a fantastic player he was when he played us and he still is now we other players I am proud for and I only want to speak of them and not other players.”

Trossard, who scored 25 goals in 122 appearances for Brighton, has been predominately used as a substitute by Arteta early on his Arsenal career.

The winger has started just seven of his 19 appearances for the title-chasing side, acting as the understudy to Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing.

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Whether or not Trossard starts on Sunday is unknown, but Arteta knows for certain he will be without William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Sunday’s game.

Both defenders are reported to be out for the rest of the season with a back and calf injury respectively.

Brighton will also missing a number of key players. Adam Webster, Solly March and Joel Veltman have all be ruled out for the rest of the season, whilst Jeremy Sarmiento is unlikely to recover from a a foot injury sustained in March.