Arizona Tribune - Agent says Trossard ready to leave Brighton after Liverpool snub

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi revealed on Friday he had punished Trossard for leaving training without permission.

The 28-year-old had disappeared when told he would not start last weekend's FA Cup third-round tie against Middlesbrough, which Brighton won 5-1.

But Josy Comhair, Trossard's agent, hit back just hours later by insisting his client had been treated harshly and now wanted to leave Premier League club in the January transfer window.

"After the World Cup, there was an altercation between Leandro and another player in training over a trivial matter," Comhair said in a statement.

"Since then, the manager no longer speaks to Leandro, which is obviously not conducive to the atmosphere, nor is it performance-related."

Comhair added: "In the run-up to the game against Middlesbrough for the FA Cup, Leandro had already indicated twice that he had problems with his calf.

"That was the reason why he stopped training. This was, incidentally, in consultation with the medical staff.

"Last Monday, the manager humiliated Leandro in a group and indicated that he no longer wanted to see him."

Comhair, who labelled De Zerbi's approach as "incomprehensible", insisted: "It is therefore important Brighton co-operates with a potential transfer during this transfer period and shows a benevolent attitude, which is beneficial to both parties."

Earlier, De Zerbi told a pre-match press conference: "Leandro isn't in the list of players for tomorrow (Saturday).

"The last training session before the Middlesbrough game when he understood he didn't play, he left the session without saying anything to me. And it's not good.

"The Monday after, I spoke with him and I explained this attitude, this behaviour, I don't like."

The Italian added: "He knows very well that 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 such as Real Madrid or Barcelona."

Trossard, who scored a hat-trick at Liverpool in a 3-3 draw in October, has been linked with a move to Tottenham.

"I don't know about the transfer market, if he wants to change teams or not," De Zerbi said.

"It's not my problem. I'm only a coach. Leo is one of the best players in this squad. I understand something about football.

"But I know also to achieve the result we have to be a group and to think for the team before ourselves."

Ch.P.Lewis--AT