Last week, a letter arrived at the offices of Al Ain club, here in the UAE.

It contained an invitation, extended by the English Premier League club Arsenal, to Omar Abdulrahman, by consensus the best soccer player in the country, to join the London club for a one-week trial.

Not long ago — maybe even last year — such a note would have been grounds for great excitement, for the player, for Al Ain, for the UAE.

This time?

Polite but firm rejection.

The chairman of the club, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed, told The National that the time for Omar to be going on trial has passed.

“Omar Abdulrahman is a national treasure, which is why the club is keen to study with great attention only serious offers that are beneficial to the player,” Sheikh Abdullah said.

“Omar is above having to go on trial to prove his skills, as he has played high-quality league and international matches, which are the real test.

“Any club willing to recruit Omar can check his performance in all his games and then submit a serious offer to sign him. If there is one, we are ready to negotiate with the team and reach a compromise.”

What is going on here?

1. Al Ain clearly had a sense that Arsenal was not serious, that Omar would spend a week in London, and be turned around and sent home. No matter what he did. That is what happened last season, when the slender midfielder with the advanced technical skills and enormous hair spent two weeks with Manchester City. And that is what seemed to happen in late July when Blackburn invited over the Baniyas midfielder Amer Abdulrahman (no relation to Omar) for a trial — only to send him back, too.

2. European clubs have expended some energy trying to firm up their relations with the UAE, which has numerous individuals with lots and lots of disposable income — as well as two growing airlines, Etihad and Emirates, whose names are on the stadiums in which Manchester City and Arsenal play. But, sometimes, the European attention seems an unattractive mix of pandering and condescending.

3. Al Ain’s chairman makes a good point. Omar Abdulrahman by now has lots and lots of history, even at age 21. Three-plus seasons of film with Al Ain. The London 2012 Olympics, in which British fans were able to see him in action at Wembley against Great Britain. The 2013 Gulf Cup, in which Omar was the dominant figure, and tournament MVP, for a championship UAE side.

It may be no coincidence that goal.com recently suggested that Omar is the 39th-best player in the world — just behind the Brazilian Willian, who plays at Anzhi, and just ahead of James Rodriguez, a Colombian who plays for Porto.

One can imagine the thinking at Arsenal. “Hmm, Emirati chap in the top 50 of this website; our stadium named after Emirates (airline) … let’s throw the young man a bone.”

In reality, Omar probably is not one of the best 50 players in the world. He does not see enough sustained and elite competition to make that happen.

I am confident that he is good enough to play in Europe, but at this stage it ought to be one of the second-tier leagues. Maybe Belgium. Switzerland. Greece. One of the lesser clubs in France’s Ligue 1.

In that sort of competition, we would learn quickly if he has what it takes to play for Arsenal.

Interesting, though, that Al Ain (and apparently Omar) so quickly picked up on back-handed compliments. “Come hang with us for a week. We will show you around.” (Then we’ll then have you train with the reserve squad and send you back.)

And all of this during the preparation period ahead of Al Ain’s chase for a third consecutive championship. When neither the club nor the player is thinking about England.

Hence, Sheikh Abdullah’s remark about “serious” offers. Arsenal’s did not meet that threshold, and the “national treasure” will stay put until one is forthcoming.