Leandro Trossard: Roberto De Zerbi confirms Belgium forward will not play for Brighton against Liverpool due to attitude and behaviour issues | Football News

Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed Leandro Trossard will not be in the squad for the visit of Liverpool after exhibiting a poor attitude in training.

The 25-year-old has not played for the Seagulls since the 4-2 defeat to Premier League leaders Arsenal on New Year’s Eve and it is understood that he has trained alone this week owing to what De Zerbi deemed to be poor behaviour.

“Leandro isn’t in the list of the players for tomorrow,” he told reporters during his press conference on Friday afternoon.

“Leandro knows very well my opinion. The last training session before the Middlesbrough game, when he understood he wouldn’t play, he left the session without saying anything to me and it’s not good.

“On the Monday, I spoke with him and I explained I don’t like this attitude, this behaviour.

“He knows very well if he wants to play with Brighton with me, he has to work hard, he has to run, he has to be in the right way because we are not a big team, a Real Madrid, Barcelona or another big, big team. We are Brighton and we need players who work like the other players.

There is reported interest from Tottenham in Belgian international Trossard, whose contract expires this summer, though Brighton hold the option to extend his deal by another 12 months.

Sky Sports News understands the club have not yet triggered the option to extend and have until the end of March to do so.

De Zerbi, however, refused to comment on transfer speculation when questioned.

“I don’t know about the transfer market, if he wants to change teams or not. It’s not my problem. I’m a coach, only a coach and the first 11, while I am the coach, I will decide,” he said.

“I’m not thinking about the transfer market, other teams or other discussions. The only discussion is to play for the team, to work and to run on the pitch.

“I don’t know what the problem is [with Trossard]. I want to be honest because I want to be clear. I’m open with him, I’m open to taking a step back.

“If he wants to play, I’m open to listening to him, but he has to understand that, with me, I only want players who work hard, who play for the team 100 per cent.”

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Who will be on the move this winter? The January transfer window opened on Sunday January 1, 2023 and closes at 11pm on Tuesday January 31, 2023.

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