Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi fears Leandro Trossard’s agent could be trying to force through a cut-price January exit. Newcastle United are among the clubs linked with the Belgian international who begun the season in fine fashion. Reports suggest Tottenham have already had a £12m bid turned down, and De Zerbi insists he would still welcome the attacker back into his squad. The Brighton boss believes Comhair’s comments could be an attempt to engineer a cut-price mid-season transfer.
Roberto De Zerbi said: “Nothing special happened with Trossard. But if you don’t push to the max in training and in matches, maybe you have a personal problem, which you have to tell me, otherwise I can’t help you. But if you don’t tell me anything, football is a serious matter, it must be respected: football gives everything, but you have to give it everything. That is to say, commit yourself 100 per cent. If someone doesn’t do it, I’ll let them know. Trossard’s agent can say what he wants. Maybe he’s doing this to take away the player for a less amount of money to another team. Of course, Trossard didn’t tell me the truth. Everyone in the dressing room knows what the reality is, and what happened. I don’t have to apologize. Having said that, it’s not a closed issue for me. If Trossard comes back and does things right, I’m willing to let him play. But it’s not up to me, it’s up to him.”