Leandro Trossard wouldn’t have been interested in a move to Saudi Arabia even if Arsenal had accepted Al-Ittihad’s late bid, according to a report.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 24: Leandro Trossard of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Arsenal FC at Villa Park on August 24, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND: Leandro Trossard of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Arsenal FC at Villa Park on August 24, 2024. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

In a transfer saga that lasted less than an hour, reports broke on Monday morning that Arsenal had received an offer from Al-Ittihad to sign Leandro Trossard, quickly followed by reports that they’d turned it down.

David Ornstein reported that Al-Ittihad submitted an informal verbal proposal on Sunday, and Arsenal quickly rejected it.

But even if they’d accepted it, the move would have been unlikely to progress.

James Benge of CBS Sports reports that while Arsenal made it clear Trossard wasn’t for sale at any price, sources suggest the player himself also had no desire to leave the Premier League for Saudi Arabia.

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Belgium’s Leandro Trossard runs with the ball during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group E football match between Ukraine and Belgium at the Stuttgart Arena in Stuttgart on June 26, 2024. (Photo by DAMIEN MEYER / AFP)

According to Ornstein, the offer was for an initial loan move, with Arsenal receiving a €5m loan fee. Al-Ittihad would then have an obligation to buy next summer in the region of €20-25m.

So even at the upper end of that range, the Gunners would still only get €30m (£25.3m) in total.

Arsenal were under no pressure to sell, with Trossard still on a long contract in north London.

Sky Sports News reported at the time of Trossard’s January 2023 transfer from Brighton that the forward was signing a four-and-a-half-year deal with an option for a further year on top of that.

That would put him under contract until 2027, with an option to extend to 2028.

Belgium's Leandro Trossard scores a penalty during the International friendly football match between Belgium and Montenegro at the Baudoin King Stadium in Brussels on June 5, 2024. (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images)
Belgium’s Leandro Trossard kicks to score a penalty kick during the International friendly football match between Belgium and Montenegro at the Baudoin King Stadium in Brussels on June 5, 2024. (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images)

Trossard does have competition at Arsenal following the arrival of Raheem Sterling, with Gabriel Martinelli also battling for a starting spot on the left-wing.

But the forward’s 31 goal contributions in 71 Arsenal appearances (37 starts) were evidently viewed as too valuable to lose. Not that there was ever much risk of losing them to Al-Ittihad this summer.