@ngozho@winkydonline@OkayAfrica It's an observation, not being sentimental. Is it a lie that whenever he had a chance he asks for endorsement, on public after all 😂😂
"Our humanity is intertwined. Your pain cannot be dismissed because it is happening in a different home, different community or different country "
Winky D (2026)
Arsenal bought Leandro Trossard from Brighton in January 2023 for an initial £20 million, with add-ons taking the headline figure to £27 million. He signed a four and a half year deal running to the summer of 2027.
Three and a half years later, Besiktas have agreed €20 million, roughly £17 million, to take him off Arsenal's hands with one year left on that contract.
Let's talk about what this actually means for lay men and for a club financially, because the number looks underwhelming until you understand how football accounting works.
When a club signs a player, the transfer fee is not recorded as an immediate expense. It is spread evenly across the length of the contract, a process called amortization. I have written about this before.
Arsenal paid £20 million guaranteed and spread that over 4.5 years. By July 2026, approximately 3.5 years have elapsed, meaning roughly 78% of that cost has already been written off the books. The remaining book value sitting on Arsenal's balance sheet is somewhere around £4.4 to £6 million depending on which fee figure you use.
So when Besiktas pay £17 million for a player whose book value is roughly £5 million, Arsenal are booking a profit of somewhere between £11 and £12 million on a player entering the final year of his deal.
That is actually quite smart business. A 32 year old with one year left on his contract and a player who, whatever his contributions, was never going to be a first team starter.
Getting £17 million for him rather than watching him walk away for nothing next summer is exactly the kind of decision that keeps clubs on the right side of PSR.
I think Arsenal have done well. What do you think?
My name is Ajoje. I am a FIFA Licensed Agent and International Sports Lawyer. I write on the Law and Business of Football, a lot. Repost and Follow if you want to read more posts like this.
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