Arsenal icon Perry Groves has advised Mikel Arteta about who should replace Martin Odegaard in the North London derby.
Arguably the biggest fixture in Arsenal’s calendar comes next for Arteta’s side as the Gunners head to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to battle Spurs.
The North London derby is one of the most exciting fixtures that the Premier League has to offer, with all eyes set to be on N17 on match day four.
While Arteta will look forward to the thrills of the rivalry, the manager has a lot of squad issues to solve before kick-off, several of which coming in midfield.
Perry Groves says Leandro Trossard can replace Martin Odegaard v Spurs
One of Arsenal’s biggest concerns comes as a result of captain Martin Odegaard’s injury.
Odegaard could miss three weeks due to an injury he picked up on international duty during Norway’s win over Austria.
While the severity of the injury remains unclear, it looks as though Arteta will have to plan for the North London derby without Arsenal’s key creator.
It’s a huge blow for the Gunners, but isn’t something that should be too complicated for the boss to solve, as per the beliefs of club icon Perry Groves.
MORE ARSENAL STORIES
Cesc Fabregas called on Leandro Trossard to replace Odegaard, an opinion that Groves shared when speaking on talkSPORT.
“Arteta needs someone in the Odegaard position who can be the orchestrator, I’d like to see Trossard in there,” Groves explained.
“I think he can play that role, I think he’s technically good enough.”
Trossard is one of Arsenal’s more technically gifted players, with a skill set that is transferable to a range of positions
As a result, the Belgian could be a contender to fill the void left by Odegaard, which could open a vacancy on the left flank.
Trossard could be Arsenal’s secret weapon
Signing Trossard for just £27m from Brighton in 2023 was a huge success for Arteta and Edu.
The Belgium international is one of Arsenal’s most reliable assets in front of goal, being the club’s third-highest goalscorer in the Premier League last term.
Trossard’s scoring record is all the more impressive considering that he secured only 18 starts last season, netting 12 goals to follow closely behind Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka in the scoring charts.
For the nimble winger’s creativity and efficiency in the final third, Groves’ opinion could be something for Arteta to consider, with Trossard certainly having a match-defining moment in his locker.