Auston Trusty’s impressive loan spell this season with Birmingham City could lead a bright future down the road with English Premier League leaders Arsenal, but prior to the centerback’s move to England last summer, Trusty reveals another EPL side was close to acquiring him ahead of the Gunners.
Leeds United was interested in acquiring Trusty prior to his transfer to Arsenal in January 2022, the 24-year-old said in an interview on current Blues teammate Troy Deeney’s podcast “Deeney Talks”. Trusty was signed by Arsenal in 2022 before spending the next six months on loan with the Colorado Rapids before officially making the move to London last August.
Trusty has since excelled for Birmingham City this EFL Championship season, totaling four goals and two assists in 42 combined appearances in John Eustace’s squad. His impressive campaign led to a March U.S. men’s national team call up, and a senior debut against Grenada in a 7-1 Concacaf Nations League victory.
Leeds United has struggled for most of the Premier League season, despite the arrivals of Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, and Weston McKennie over the past eight months. Although a quick route to EPL playing time might have come if Trusty made the move to Elland Road last year, Trusty admitted his interest in joining Arsenal.
“I knew they were interested, I was doing my thing in Colorado, we were doing well, we were leading the Western Conference and during that process [I was] doing really well and I had teams watching me,” Trusty said.
“Finally I had a few teams, I was thinking about going and I was actually going to Leeds,” he added. “Then Arsenal came in the picture and I just basically said [to my agent], ‘Make this happen.’ I let my agent do all that kind of stuff and I just focus on football because what I was doing in Colorado was attracting the attention of the likes of Arsenal.”
There has been no decision yet on whether or not Birmingham City will try and acquire Trusty on a permanent deal this summer, but Eustace has previously stated his interest to continue working with the former MLS homegrown. The Blues sit nine points clear of the Championship relegation zone and are 13 points back of the final promotion playoff spot.
Trusty will be fighting for a strong run of form ahead of potential USMNT call-ups this summer for the Nations League semifinals and Concacaf Gold Cup.