Arsenal have reportedly rejected a €35 million bid for Leandro Trossard from Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad as they have no intention of letting go of him, Fabrizio Romano reported earlier today.
The transfer insider added that the Belgian international is considered vitally important in Mikel Arteta’s sporting project and the Gunners insist that he is not for sale.
🚨🔴⚪️ Arsenal have informed Al Ittihad about their decision to reject €35m proposal for Leandro Trossard, as exclusively revealed.
He’s considered key player for the project and NOT for sale.
🟡⚫️🇧🇷 Al Ittihad are now targeting FC Porto winger Galeno with an official bid. pic.twitter.com/uxo0W3DMpU
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 2, 2024
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The Saudi Pro League is not exactly what fair competition stands for as they have signed some fine players from Europe for sums unimaginable to clubs within the continent, mainly due to fears that they may breach UEFA’s, FIFA’s or their respective league’s Financial Fair Play guidelines.
A few apprehensions regarding the societal norms in the country are an entirely different reason why a number of fans have been vocal critics of those who try and pursue a career in Saudi Arabia.
Nonetheless, the opportunity to earn multiple times the salary that a player can earn in Europe means that some players are enticed by the financial benefits of playing in the Middle East.
But that does not hold true in Trossard’s case, fortunately for Arsenal, as he declared his happiness in north London very recently after scoring in the team’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Leandro Trossard Arsenal exit – make it make sense
One would need to have absolute disregard for his career to leave as promising a sporting project as Mikel Arteta’s at Arsenal, not least for the Saudi Pro League.
And with that being said, no player from the current squad would have been able to sustain being a player for as much time as Trossard has been given the amount of passion and intensity the manager asks for without actually being oriented towards success beyond a hefty pay cheque.
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From a sporting perspective as well, Arsenal will be happy that Trossard did not push too aggressively to move to Saudi Arabia as it would have genuinely left them shorthanded on the left flank.
Gabriel Martinelli has gone through his fair share of fitness woes while Trossard himself is also a fabulous wildcard to come off the bench, and a player that has been the differential so often for Arsenal.
It would be remiss to not say that Arsenal’s hierarchy would have been worried at the prospect of losing a crucial player after the end of the European transfer window but with Trossard now staying put, the attentions in the Gunners’ camp can turn back to trying to win the Premier League.
