Arsenal could sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey in the summer with Gunners striker Alexandre Lacazette going the other way. Partey has been at the club since 2012, making his senior debut in 2015 and becoming an important part of the side over the next few seasons.
As per The Telegraph, the 26-year-old midfielder wants to move to the Premier League and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a fan of the player. The North London club may not have the funds to match the £45million release clause in his contract which means that they will have to offer a player in exchange and possibly some fee to bring Thomas Partey to the Emirates.
Atletico Madrid are reportedly willing to have negotiations with clubs that want to sign Partey. His current deal with the Spanish club expires in 2023.
Thomas Partey: Should Arsenal make a move on the mentioned terms?
Arsenal have looked threatening in attack, at times, this season, but their defence and midfield have let them down time and again. Mikel Arteta needs to buy at least one top-class centre back, while he will also need to sign a strong defensive midfielder to shield the Gunners’ vulnerable defence and build a solid base in midfield which still lacks leadership.
Partey could be a very good signing for Arsenal and the decision to let Lacazette leave is a sensible one too. The French striker has not been in great form this season, scoring just 9 goals in 26 games in all competitions. He has fallen down the pecking order and with the emergence of Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli, he could be surplus to requirements if he fails to get back in form in the event of a restart this season.
In contrast, Gunners skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored 20 goals in 32 games and has carried much of the goal-scoring weight on his shoulders.
Thomas Partey could provide defensive cover, energy, and some much-needed bite in midfield, which the Gunners have sorely lacked over the last few seasons. Partey is not shy to put his foot in and make crunching tackles, averaging 3.6 tackles in 8 Champions League games this season. He can also move quickly from box-to-box, covering ground quickly and even scoring the odd goal.
He is a neat passer, having the ability to circulate the ball from the base of midfield and averages 61.6 passes per game in the Champions League, with a pass completion rate of 84.8%. The Ghanaian international could slot in beside Granit Xhaka or Lucas Torreira deep in midfield and allow Arsenal’s talented attackers to bomb forward. At 26, Partey is about to enter his prime years and could be one of the catalysts to make Arsenal a much balanced and effectively a much stronger side.