From January, foreign clubs will be eligible to open pre-contract talks with Partey over a free transfer in the summer – unless, of course, he signs an extension beforehand. If the Ghana international does not commit his long-term future to the club, they will be forced to make a tough decision.
The Gunners must consider whether they'd rather risk losing Partey for free – if talks prolong – or cut their losses and cash in during the January transfer window. He has been briefly linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League in the past but, with question marks over his fitness, a switch has never materialised.
Ultimately, Arsenal have until the new year to make a call otherwise the latter stages of the season, which may entail a title race, could be unnecessarily overshadowed by speculation. According to the Express, the north Londoners have not yet shown a desire to extend Partey's stay.
In July 2023, when Arsenal signed Declan Rice from West Ham for a club-record £105m, Arteta insisted that the Ghanian remains firmly in his plans. The Spaniard said: "Without a question of a doubt, Thomas Partey is a super important player for us and for me.
"I want him to be in the team. Every time I spoke to him and every time I have a conversation with him, his will is to stay with us. For me, there's nothing there at all."
In April 2024, Arteta doubled down on Partey's importance at the Emirates Stadium despite having struggled with injuries. The Arsenal boss said: "He better have his head here because we are playing for big things and that’s what we expect!"
Aaron Ramsdale shows true Arsenal colours with brilliant three-word message
He added: "We need him because he’s a top player, a very important player for us and you can see on the pitch as well what kind of impact he can have for us. He’s our player, he’s got one more year’s contract and I’m really happy with him."
Then, Partey told Arteta exactly what he wants to hear. He said: "My head is always here. This is where I choose to play, I’m really happy every time I’m on the field. I know a lot of speculation has been going on, but for me, I’m really happy to be here and to continue playing for this club.
"With my contract, I still have to the end of the season, I think. I have to do my best and try to perform at the highest level and I think the most important is to be available every time."
0 Comments