Arsenal are ɾєρօɾτedly willing to listen to offers for Thomas Partey during the summer transfer window, a stance that will have surprised many supporters previously.
It’s not so long ago that any suggestion of Arsenal going into a season without Thomas Partey would have triggered a meltdown among some supporters.
However, recent ɾєρօɾτs claim that the Gunners are open to cashing in on the midfielder during the summer transfer window and this stance simply highlights that so much can change within a year and thatMikel Artetamay have already foreshadowed what’s to come for the Ghana international.
Now, whenArsenal’stop-four hopes collapsed at the єɴԀ of the 2021/22 season, much of it was attributed to the absence of Partey (and to a lesser degree Kieran Tierney) as he was in arguably the best form of his career prior to sustaining a thigh ιɴjυɾу and there was no replacement of equal quality.
As a result, the task for Arteta and Edu last summer was to bring in cover for the Ghanaian to avoid a repeat. While that never materialised,they did manage to sign Jorginho for £12m in the January transfer windowbut even with that Ԁєɑł the general consensus was he was nothing more than a backup player.
In fact, when taking into consideration the meltdown from some Gunners supporters on social media when Partey missed the home game against Manchester City in February it showed just how important he is viewed as for many he was seen as one of few undroppable players in the side when fit and available for selection.
This is what makes Arteta’s decision towards the єɴԀ of the season just gone feel very significant. When Arsenal welcomed Chelsea to the Emirates at the beginning of May, they were still in the Premier League title race and with so much at stake,for Partey to not be named in the starting line-up was a big surprise ahead of kick-off.
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Although taking his performances againstWest HamandMan City, into account, the Ghana international could have no complaints about being dropped but for it to happen in a big game when he was fit nonetheless might have been the first sign that he would no longer be a guaranteed starter in his favoured role.
Amid injuries in defence, Partey returned to the starting line-up for the final two games of the 2022/23 campaign but was operating at right-back and should he stay it could be a sign of things to come for next season as the Gunners are being tipped to revamp their midfield in the summer transfer window.
Declan Rice, asfootball.londonunderstands is the priority targetwhilst links toRomeo Lavia have emerged in recent daysand if Arsenal successfully complete both Ԁєɑłs, all of a sudden Arteta has real depth in the number six position which in turn reduces the over-reliance on Partey.
