Arsenal rejected late Leandro Trossard transfer approach as midfield sale truth emerges

Arsenal were able to offload Albert Sambi Lokonga, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko on transfer deadline day but Leandro Trossard stayed put after earning a pay-rise

Arsenal rejected a discreet late approach from Roma for Leandro Trossard in the final week of the summer transfer window. The Belgian recently penned a new contract with the Gunners, though his deal only included a salary increase and will still run until 2027.

Arsenal wanted to reward the forward for his contributions since joining the club from Brighton in January 2023. But after putting pen to paper, Italian side Roma made an enquiry about Trossard’s availability and were told a transfer wouldn’t be possible.

Borussia Dortmund and Turkish giants Fenerbahce also showed an interest in the 30-year-old earlier in the window. There is every chance Trossard could still move onto pastures new at the end of the season as he’ll be approaching the final year of his Arsenal contract.

There are also question marks over the long-term future of Gabriel Martinelli at the Emirates – even if Mikel Arteta made it clear last week the Brazilian will be a “big, big player” for his side this season. Bayern Munich and Barcelona both shortlisted the 24-year-old but neither were willing to finance moves and instead went on to pursue alternative targets, instead.

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However, it’s understood Arsenal will need to make a notable sale in the near future to protect their balance sheet and Martinelli is among the leading candidates to depart amid increased competition for places in north London following the recent arrivals of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.

Meanwhile, it has now emerged that Arsenal sold midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga to Hamburg for just an initial £260,000. The Belgian was out of contract at the Emirates next summer and the Gunners were desperate to move him on following loan spells with Crystal Palace, Luton Town and Sevilla, respectively.

The figures behind the 25-year-old’s deadline-day departure were initially undisclosed but German sources have now revealed the fee was as small as £260,000, though there are some bonuses involved.

Internally, Arsenal are striving to improve the amount of cash the club raises through player sales – something that has become of growing importance in the PSR era. But in this instance, they felt it was best to get Lokonga’s wages off the books as he did not form a part of Mikel Arteta’s plans.

Hamburg also have an option to buy Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira that is worth over £17.4m (€20m) after the Portuguese attacking midfielder also joined Lokonga in the Bundesliga on deadline day.

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