‘I've spoken’: Journalist delivers exciting Arsenal transfer verdict on 'one of the best'

The Arsenal transfer expert once again shared how ‘people I have spoken to’ that are close to Thomas Partey have always made it clear that he ‘doesn’t want to go’ – Juventus and Saudi Arabia were knocking.

But that’s from the player’s side, now Mikel Arteta had stated that his defensive rock will be plying his trade with the Gunners in the Champions League next season, as he told his own YouTube channel.

With Declan Rice already signed, this is exciting news for the supporters.

Last season, when they faced Manchester City at the Emirates, Partey was injured for that fixture, well, he can afford to do that now because they have Rice on board. 

Even with Granit Xhaka’s departure, this bulks up the club’s midfield, with Watts, who is also an Arsenal fan, describing Partey as ‘one of the world’s best midfielders’.

Arsenal Training Session

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“We have to start with Mikel Arteta’s comments about Thomas Partey,” said Watts. “He hasn’t really spoken about this at all yet all summer. This was the day he came out and spoke amid all the speculation, all the stories about Thomas Partey and Saudi Arabia and what was going to happen. Is he going to stay? 

“Very forthright, very certain comments there from Mikel Arteta. It doesn’t really leave any room for doubt, I would say, in terms of Thomas Partey’s future, it seems as though he is very much staying put.People who I have spoken to and have been very close to Partey have always said, ‘he doesn’t want to go. He wants to stay and be part of what’s happening at Arsenal’ – If a massive, massive bid had come in, then Arsenal would have looked at it. They were never looking to push Partey out of the door, or anything like that. 

“From a footballing point of view, you just don’t sell Thomas Partey. It just doesn’t make any sense. If you want to be strong, if you want to compete in the Premier League, if you want to compete in the Champions League, then you don’t want to be weakening your squad. You have one of the world’s best midfielders. Why would you consider letting him go?”

mikel arteta

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Partey and Rice in the middle

This is going to be some combination and it will, ultimately, bring the best out of the Englishman.

At West Ham, he was criticised for not scoring enough goals or doing enough in the final third.

Well, finally, for the first time in his career, he has a proper and better defensive-minded player next to him, who will allow him to carry the ball forward a lot more, stay further forward and do more in the final third.