Mikel Arteta insists that Thomas Partey remains an integral part of his Arsenal plans, amid continued speculation over the midfielder’s future.
The recent signing of Declan Rice sparked further talk that Arsenal may offload Partey – who is being chased by Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ahli.
Arteta seems to see things very differently, though, and the Gunners manager has now sought to set the record straight.
When asked during Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the USA whether he expected Partey to remain at the Emirates Stadium next season, Arteta said: “Part of my plans? Of course, without a question of a doubt. Thomas is a super important player for us and for me. I want him to be part of the team.”
Partey was a key player for the Gunners last term, forging a strong midfield partnership with Granit Xhaka – who has since left for Bayer Leverkusen – as Arteta’s side finished second in the Premier League and secured Champions League qualification for 2023/24.
And Arteta doesn’t expect Rice’s arrival to lead to less involvement for Partey going forward. He added: “They can play together and that was in my plans. You want to improve the squad and have more quality.
“We need players who can play together but we need players in the same position who can fight for their places.”
The Ghanaian international, 30, has two years left to run on his contract, having joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2020.
He’s made 99 appearances for the Gunners, scoring five goals – including one of the strikes of last season with a stunning long-range effort in the North London derby against Tottenham.
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