Arsenal rebuffed a last-minute approach from Roma for Leandro Trossard in the final week of the summer transfer window. The Belgian recently inked a new contract with the Gunners, though his deal only included a pay rise and will still run until 2027.
Arsenal sought to reward the forward for his contributions since joining the club from Brighton in January 2023. However, after signing the contract, Italian side Roma enquired about Trossard’s availability and were informed a transfer wouldn’t be feasible. Borussia Dortmund and Turkish heavyweights Fenerbahce also expressed an interest in the 30-year-old earlier in the window.
There is every possibility Trossard could move onto new ventures at the end of the season as he’ll be nearing the final year of his Arsenal contract. There are also uncertainties over the long-term future of Gabriel Martinelli at the Emirates.
Meanwhile, 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 eager to offload him 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.
Inside the club, Arsenal are striving to boost their income from player sales, a strategy that has gained significance in the PSR era.
However, in this case, they deemed it necessary to remove Lokonga’s salary from their payroll as he was not included in Mikel Arteta‘s plans.
Hamburg also have an option to purchase Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira for a sum exceeding £17.4m (€20m).