Arsenal legend Perry Groves has revealed that he wants to see Leandro Trossard in the Martin Odegaard role against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend in the absence of the Gunners captain.
The Gunners are facing several issues ahead of the big north London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday.
Declan Rice was ruled out after he picked up a red card ahead of the international break and Arsenal lost club captain Odegaard to an ankle injury during the international break.
The Norwegian is not expected to be fit for a while and Mikel Arteta is now looking for a player who could fill the creative role in the middle of the park in the Gunners team.
Groves stressed that Arsenal already have a player in their squad who has the skills to play that role in the absence of the club captain.
Perry Groves picked Leandro Trossard for the Odegaard role
The Gunners legend insisted that Arteta needs someone in that Odegaard role who has the technical quality to conduct the play and keep things ticking along creatively.
Groves is keen to see Trossard trialed in that the role against Tottenham as he believes the former Brighton star has the ability to pull the creative strings from the middle of the park.
The Belgian has mostly been used as a wide forward since he joined Arsenal but the former Gunner feels he has the technical ability to play the more withdrawn role when needed.
“There are loads of different options”, Groves said on talkSPORT.
“But I think from Mikel Arteta’s point of view, he needs someone in the Odegaard position who can be the orchestrator and conduct everything in that position.
“I’d like to see Trossard in there; he can play that role.
“I think he is technically good enough.”
Arsenal rejected a bid from Saudi Arabia for Trossard in the summer and he is considered a key part of the squad at the Emirates Stadium.
