Leandro Trossard wants to leave Brighton and feels he has been “humiliated” by Roberto De Zerbi, according to a statement released by the player’s agent on Friday.
The announcement from the Belgium international’s agent, Josy Comhair, came after Brighton’s manager said Trossard would not be involved against Liverpool on Saturday because of his attitude.
Trossard, who has attracted interest from Tottenham this month, was said by De Zerbi to have left a training session early last week without saying anything to him, after being told he would not start the FA Cup third-round tie against Middlesbrough.
“It’s not good,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. “The Monday after, I spoke with him and I explained this attitude, this behaviour, I don’t like.” The Italian added that he was open to reconciliation with the player, but the subsequent statement appears to have made that highly unlikely.
Comhair claims De Zerbi stopped speaking to Trossard weeks ago after a training incident, and disputed the manager’s version of last week’s events. The agent also states that a transfer in January “is the most convenient solution” and would be “beneficial for both parties”.
“In the run-up to the match against Middlesbrough for the FA Cup, Leandro had already indicated twice that he had problems with his calf,” Comhair added. “This was the reason why he stopped training. This was, incidentally, in consultation with the medical staff. The manager told Leandro that he had to train separately.
“Last Monday, 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 during this transfer period and shows a benevolent attitude, which is beneficial to both parties.”
Comhair said Brighton had tried before the World Cup to extend Trossard’s contract beyond 2024 but no agreement was reached and the player “has also indicated that he is ready for his next step”.
“After the World Cup there was an altercation between Leandro and a player in training over a trivial matter. Since then the manager no longer speaks to Leandro, which is obviously not conducive to the atmosphere, nor is it performance-oriented.”
De Zerbi had earlier expressed dissatisfaction with Trossard’s behaviour. “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. We are not a big team such as Real Madrid or Barcelona; we are Brighton and we need players who work like the others.
“I don’t know what is the problem,” the manager added. “I want to be clear, I am open with him to take a step back and listen to him but he has to understand with me, I want only players who work hard and play for the team 100%.”
De Zerbi said in relation to a transfer: “I don’t know about the transfer market, if he wants to change teams or not. It’s not my problem. I’m only a coach.”
Brighton have not yet offered an official response to Comhair’s statement. The Premier League club confirmed a new arrival on Friday, after completing a deal to sign 20-year-old playmaker Facundo Buonanotte from Rosario Central.
