ARSENAL are ready to hear offers for Thomas Partey when they finally finalize the £105m signing of Declan Rice.
But they are not actively looking to sell the 30-year-old Ghana international and are only considering serious offers in excess of £30m.
The Gunners want a minimum of £30m for Thomas Partey but would love to have him back up, assuming Declan Rice completes his big move. Credit: Getty
Partey was one of Mikel Arteta’s key players last season, finishing second to Manchester City and securing Champions League qualification after a six-year absence from Europe’s top competition.
But he was noticeably burnt out during the title race, raising new questions about his ability to remain in top form throughout a full campaign.
Arteta now sees Partey as the ideal central midfielder for the new Rice, who is expected to complete his record-breaking move from West Ham next week.
And news of Partey’s status change has sparked the interest of a number of clubs in Saudi Arabia, where Arsenal’s £30m valuation would not be an issue.
Partey was one of Arteta’s first major signings for Arsenal as he joined a £45m deal from Atletico Madrid in 2020.
But his first two years in England were plagued by a series of persistent injuries and it was only last season that he was able to deliver consistent results.
One of the club’s biggest earners at £260,000 a week, his contract expires next year with the option of another 12 months to protect Arsenal from the threat of losing him as a free agent.
Now much depends on his willingness to play as a substitute for Rice when the England international arrives in the Emirates.
Ateta has already given the green light to leave Granit Xhaka in a £21.5m move to Bayer Leverkusen.
But he still has Jorginho, Sambi Lokonga and Mohamed Elneny available to fill the defensive midfield role if needed.
However, Lokonga is also considering his future after an unsuccessful loan spell at Crystal Palace in the second half of last season.
The 23-year-old Belgium international, who withdrew £17m from Anderlecht two years ago, is growing increasingly frustrated with his lack of first-team commitment and says: “I will try to get to where I’m going to play.”
