"To Arsenal" - Manager makes major claim about "exceptional" player

Birmingham’s Arsenal loanee Auston Trusty has been tipped to secure a starting berth in Mikel Arteta's side.

The Pennsylvania-born defender joined the north Londoners from the Colorado Rapids back in January and has since been sent to St. Andrews to acclimatise himself to English football.

The 24-year-old has impressed at Birmingham and can fight for a starting place at the Emirates, according to his manager John Eustace.

The Blues boss told the Birmingham Mail: “He is going to be a top player, he is going to go back to Arsenal and hopefully push for that first-team spot.

“He deserves to be going to the World Cup. His performances for us have been exceptional & they are only going to get better.”

Trusty has so far made 17 appearances in the Championship for a mid-table Birmingham side and netted three times.

However, if he were to break through at Arsenal, he will have to get ahead of the likes of William Saliba, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Rob Holding.

That would be a mean feat considering Arsenal has stormed the league this season, partly due to their stubborn defence.

The Gunners currently sit two points clear at the top of the table, having dismantled a struggling Nottingham Forest side 5-0 on Sunday.

In all competitions, Arteta’s side have secured eight clean sheets and only conceded 14 goals in total.

Nevertheless, when asked about the prospect of breaking into the Arsenal team, Trusty told MLSsoccer.com: “I'm in contact with them all the time and my mindset is to get to Arsenal and play for Arsenal.

“It's probably the best club in the world right now and I'm excited for it.

“It's the perfect spot right now and I'm doing my thing, at an incredible organisation in Birmingham. But, obviously, the goal is to play in the Premier League, play at a top team. That's where it's at.”