There were times during the summer transfer window when you wondered if Leandro Trossard would still be an Arsenal player come the start of this season.
The Gunners embarked on a major £250million spending spree, and it felt inevitable that some players would depart.
Trossard was linked with moves to Italy and Turkey, but revealed earlier this month that leaving north London was never on the cards.
Instead, the Belgian was handed a pay rise on the eve of the new campaign - a reward for his consistency after being the only Arsenal player to feature in every Premier League game last season.
“There are always rumours like that,” said Trossard, when quizzed about his future earlier this month.
“Leaving was never really an option. I feel very good at Arsenal. I think those rumours were there because of the lack of minutes. I’ve been playing a lot the last few weeks, doing my thing and I feel good about that.”
Trossard puts his slow start to the season down to injury. He played just once before the first international break in September, but has since featured in all eight of Arsenal’s games, starting the last four in a row.
Since Arteta took charge, only five Arsenal players have scored more goals than Trossard
He has scored three times during that run - making him Arsenal’s joint-top scorer - including at Craven Cottage on Saturday, where his second-half strike earned a 1-0 win over Fulham.
It was fitting that Trossard made the difference as he has developed a knack of delivering when it matters. The forward’s performances can sometimes be criticised by supporters, but his end product cannot be questioned.
Since Mikel Arteta took charge, only five Arsenal players have scored more goals than Trossard, and only three have provided more assists.
“He has this quality to create these magic moments when the team needs it the most with that intuition, and he’s in the right place in the right moment,” said Arteta.
“That’s a huge quality for the team and a massive weapon for us.
“So, I’m really happy. I think he’s been very, very good in recent weeks and now we have a lot of players in a really high emotional state and performance level, which is really good to see.”
Arteta is clearly a huge fan of Trossard, and his actions speak louder than the praise he dished out on Saturday.
During the Spaniard’s near six years at the club, Trossard already ranks 10th for most appearances. That is remarkable, given that he only joined in January 2023.
Arteta clearly trusts Trossard, especially in big games, even amid fierce competition on the left flank.
That position is arguably the most stacked in Arsenal’s squad, with Trossard battling Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke for minutes.
Few areas in Arteta’s squad can rival that depth, but Trossard has risen to the challenge in recent weeks.
That competitiveness is no surprise to those inside the club. Alongside Ben White, Trossard is regarded as one of Arsenal’s fiercest trainers.
He has admitted he can get “moody” if he loses a small-sided game in training, a streak he traces back to childhood battles against older kids.
The Belgian has even joked that his fighting spirit is rubbing off on his own children, describing his eldest as a “sore loser”.
“I like it,” he said in an interview earlier this season. “Sometimes you have to tell him off a bit because if he can’t win, he might try to cheat. But that’s how it is!”
Arteta will hope that same hunger continues to spread through the rest of the squad, with Arsenal’s schedule now ramping up.
The Gunners host Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, just three days after their victory at Fulham, and will be playing twice a week until the end of the year.
Everyone will be needed to step up and play their part and, after a slow start, Trossard is doing exactly that.
