Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ittihad have reportedly attempted to sign 29-year-old Arsenal attacker Leandro Trossard today.
According to an update by reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad were keen on signing Al-Ittihad before the summer transfer window deadline in the country on Monday.
However, Arsenal have turned down an approach from the Saudi Pro League giants. A report from The Athletic has claimed that Al-Ittihad offered €35 million for the 29-year-old, with the North London outfit rejecting the proposal.
Trossard has established himself as an important first-team player for Arsenal since joining the club from Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2023. Arsenal will not want to sell him at this stage of the season.
They will not be able to replace him adequately because the transfer window has closed in the Premier League. Also, they are lacking in depth in the attacking unit despite signing Raheem Sterling. So, the North London outfit cannot afford to sell any attackers before bringing new ones in.
Arsenal need quality and depth
Arsenal will hope to fight for the league title this season, and they will aim to go all the way. They have missed out on the title in the last two seasons. The Gunners will need a deeper squad with more quality in order to compete with Manchester City, and selling a key player like Trossard is simply not an option for them. It will be quite surprising if the 29-year-old pushes for a move.
He will want to compete at the highest level, and staying in the Premier league will be a far more appealing option for the player. Even though he is likely to earn a lot of money in Saudi Arabia, the Belgian attacker is at the peak of his power right now, and he should continue at Arsenal.
Trossard will have plenty of opportunities to move to Saudi Arabia in the near future. He will look to compete for major trophies with Arsenal for now, and it remains to be seen whether he can help the club win a trophy this season.
Mikel Arteta has not been able to rotate players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli often due to the lack of depth in the attack. Selling Trossard would only make things worse for them. Arsenal must hold onto their key players if they want to have a successful season.