If you were to tell Arsenal fans a surprise transfer would be made on deadline day, nobody would have predicted that player to be Colorado Rapids defender Auston Trusty.
The Gunners confirmed on their official website that a deal had been struck with the MLS franchise, who are also owned by Stan Kroenke, for the 23-year-old centre-back, who will join Arsenal in the summer on a permanent deal.
To say the signing was a surprise would be an understatement. With Arsenal chasing a striker and central midfielder all January, the transfer of Trusty caught many supporters off guard and scratching their heads.
But who exactly is Trusty, and why have Arsenal decided to sign the Colorado defender in what is the Gunners’ first transfer from MLS? To answer that, HITC Football sat down with Rapids reporter Matt Pollard to find out more about the defender.
Meet Auston ‘The Boss’ Trusty, Arsenal’s MLS gamble
It would be an understatement to say that most Arsenal fans wouldn’t have heard of Trusty before his surprise move to north London. However, that’s not to say the Gunners have made signed a nobody.
Indeed, Trusty has been one of the most interesting defenders in MLS for some time, as Pollard explains: “Trusty has all the physical attributes to play at centre-back. He’s great in the air in both boxes. And in the last two years, since moving to Colorado, he’s improved his defending and positional play from the run of play.”
Nicknamed ‘Aus the Boss’ by local media and fans on social media, Trusty has come leaps and bounds over the past 12 months, with 2021 the year that Rapids supporters see as the one where the 23-year-old came into his own.
The defender was ever-present for the Rocky Mountain club. Yet despite this, Pollard has his doubts over whether Trusty will make an immediate impact with Arsenal: “We’ve never seen a player in MLS make the jump from MLS to the Premier League and start right away.
“When I saw this transfer, it reminded me of Matt Miazga to Chelsea a few years ago. I’m just suggesting Trusty’s going to be banished to Loan Brigade FC for a season or two before playing regular Premier League football.”
Trusty draws comparisons to a former Manchester City talent
It wouldn’t be an analysis feature if there wasn’t a player Trusty was compared against. Yet when asked, Pollard gave an interesting option in former Manchester City defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who has starred for Fulham this season and was once a target for Arsenal according to the Athletic.
“When it comes to comparisons, here’s two that come to mind for me. Mark McKenzie is probably the closest comparison when it comes to Americans who’ve made the jump to Europe in recent years. In terms of players in England, though, he reminds me of Tosin Adarabioyo.”
Pollard elaborates: “They’re both a little lanky, you might use the term ‘bean pole’. Trusty could do with a proper pre-season with a strength and conditioning coach to build some more upper body strength so he can fend off likes of Romelu Lukaku.”
“Just like Adarabioyo, Trusty could be loaned out to any top side in the Championship and he’d be a starter in short order. A year in a similar system that ends in promotion and Trusty will have proven he can bring something to the Gunners first team if he doesn’t make the cut this coming pre-season.”
With Trusty set to arrive in the summer, Arsenal could have a gem on their hands should the centre-back continue to develop with the north London side. And with Europe on the cards, the American could find himself playing regular football as soon as next season.
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