Trae Coyle has left Arsenal for Swiss Super League side FC Lausanne-Sport on a permanent deal, the Gunners have confirmed.

Trae Coyle with FC Lausanne-Sport (Photo via Lausanne-Sport.ch)
Trae Coyle with FC Lausanne-Sport (Photo via Lausanne-Sport.ch)

Arsenal and FC Lausanne-Sport both confirmed on Monday morning that Trae Coyle has completed a permanent transfer between the two clubs. He’s signing a long-term deal with the Swiss Super League side, ending 12 or so years in North London.

The 20-year-old spent part of the last season on loan with League One side Gillingham, scoring four goals, but he returned in January to rejoin the Arsenal u23s. He helped Steve Bould’s side avoid relegation with a goal and an assist in his starts in April.

Coyle never made his first-team debut for Arsenal, but he did feature in a friendly match under Mikel Arteta last summer, taking on Brentford.

FC Lausanne-Sport write that Coyle arrived to meet his new teammates at the end of last week, and he’s joining on a long-term contract.

The departure represents Arsenal’s first official sale of the summer, excluding free-agent exits. Though it seems Zech Medley is close to following Coyle out of the club, after he also spent part of the season on loan with Gillingham.

Coyle was a big part of the Arsenal u18 side that won the u18 Premier League in 2018/19, scoring eight goals and assisting six in just 14 appearances. But he never quite managed to transfer that form to the u23s.

It was the right time for Coyle to move on and get his senior career going properly. There’s no word yet on the fee for the transfer, or any potential sell-on or buy-back clauses, but we’ll bring you news on that front when we have it.