Mikel Arteta has reportedly made a key decision on Thomas Partey, with Steve Kay insisting the midfielder will remain beyond January.
Steve Kay on Football Transfers reckons Arsenal star Thomas Partey will remain at the club beyond the January window after Mikel Arteta makes a key decision on his future. There have been rumblings about a departure in the winter months, but the Spaniard feels the need to keep the midfielder in his squad.
Arsenal have received criticism for not playing to their potential, as some have complained the team has lacked the attacking threat of last season. Some things are true, but the Gunners have taken a different approach to their game in this campaign.
Mikel Arteta has enforced more emphasis on controlling games rather than unleashing a free-flowing attack, which sometimes left the defence vulnerable. The Gunners are the second-best defensive side this term, sitting closely behind Manchester City, while they are the third-best scoring side in the Premier League.
What’s lacking on the pitch is free-flowing football, as they have some key players missing. Thomas Partey is that player who dictates the tempo, and his vertical passing helps the Gunners push forward in the attack, something even Declan Rice hasn’t managed to enforce.
Without the €50 million Arsenal player, Mikel Arteta has adopted alternate ideas, which have had mixed reviews. Partey only has three starts in the Premier League this season before suffering another muscle injury. Upon his recent return, the Ghanaian returned to the treatment room with another problem that would keep him sidelined for another month.
Some reports suggested that Partey’s camp are growing disgruntled owing to a lack of playing time and that the midfielder might consider his future. Rumours are circulating that Arteta was also considering a sale of the midfielder if they can recoup a decent sum.
However, Steve Kay on Football Transfer insists that’s not the case and that Arteta has decided to keep Partey beyond the January window. He said, “Despite recent rumours saying that Thomas Partey could leave in the January transfer window, Mikel Arteta has no intention to sell him.”
“It has also been rumoured he is unhappy with his lack of game time. This, I’m told, is also untrue. There are no plans to sit down and talk about a new deal, however, so the summer may be a different story in regard to him leaving.”
Juventus also hold an interest, but they only want a loan move. Had they chosen to make an offer close to Arsenal’s valuation, things might have changed. Instead, Arteta will rightly think of giving Partey another chance to prove his fitness, as he’s more valuable to the team.
Arteta would like to continue with his current system, and Partey remains an integral part of this setup. Hence, the report about the manager choosing to keep the midfielder seems apt and in the interest of keeping this Arsenal side strong for the remainder of the season.
