Kone agrees personal terms with Arsenal as Trossard nears £15.5m Besiktas exit

Arsenal are moving simultaneously on two transfer fronts, with France midfielder Manu Kone understood to have agreed personal terms with the club and Leandro Trossard edging closer to a £15.5m departure to Besiktas.

Italian outlet Corriere della Sera reports that Arsenal have held talks with Kone’s representatives and that personal terms between the player and the Gunners are already in place. The remaining obstacle is agreeing a fee with Roma, who are believed to value the 25-year-old at around £43m. Kone signed for the Giallorossi in 2024 and has three years remaining on his contract.

The France international has featured in three of Les Bleus’ five World Cup games this summer, including full 90-minute appearances in group-stage victories over Norway and Iraq, and a further display in the last-16 win against Paraguay. His continued involvement in the tournament could slow the final stages of negotiations, though Arsenal appear intent on completing the deal once the dust settles.

Kone carries the endorsement of Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira and would address a genuine squad need. Mikel Arteta’s midfield was stretched by injuries to Mikel Merino and captain Martin Odegaard last season, and the club are understood to be targeting at least one reinforcement in that area this summer. Piero Hincapie’s £34.5m arrival remains Arsenal’s only confirmed signing of the window so far.

On the outgoing side, Trossard’s move to Besiktas has reached a critical stage. Turkish newspaper Sabah reports that Arsenal have agreed a fee of around £15.5m with the Istanbul club — slightly below the £17m figure previously mooted — and that Trossard’s agent and lawyer were in London earlier this week before travelling to Istanbul for finalisation talks with Besiktas.

The Belgian winger has been linked with a move to Turkey for several months, and the arrival of his representatives in the Turkish capital suggests both parties are now close to wrapping up the deal. Should both transfers complete, Arsenal will have reshaped their squad on either side of the balance sheet before pre-season gets fully underway.