Arsenal made a surprise deadline day signing in the form of Colorado Rapids defender Auston Trusty, who will join the club in the summer.
The 23-year-old centre-back becomes the first player Arsenal have signed from MLS as well as the first name the Gunners have brought over from the Rapids, a club owned by Stan Kroenke. And on social media, Trusty was buzzing to be heading to north London.
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The defender posted a statement on Twitter expressing his delight and excitement at joining Arsenal in the summer. Trusty has been a regular in MLS for over four years with both the Rapids and the Philadelphia Union.
And in the summer, Trusty will take his talents to England, with the left-footed defender likely to play a rotation role with Arsenal next season, especially if the Gunners qualify for Europe.
In Trusty’s message, the 23-year-old thanked those who had helped him in his career as well as expressed his excitement at joining a prestigious club like Arsenal this year.
With the Gunners having just three centre-backs on their books, Trusty could well feature for Mikel Arteta’s side next campaign, with New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner also set to swap MLS for Arsenal this year.
Trusty move could indicate MLS invasion from Arsenal
With Trusty now signed and Turned shortly on his way, these two signings could indicate that Arsenal are finally about to step into the MLS market, something which has exploded in recent years.
The American top-flight has become a hotspot in the past few seasons for exciting talents, with the likes of Giovanni Reyna, Brenden Aaronson and Ricardo Pepi all coming through MLS academies. And for Arsenal, there is an opportunity to be taken.
Moreover, with Arsenal have a direct affiliate link to the Rapids, transfers between the two clubs will be easy to conclude, which could explain why Trusty was such a sudden move.
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