Mikel Arteta says Thomas Partey is very much in his plans for the year ahead and is certain the Ghana international can play alongside Declan Rice as Arsenal look to challenge on four fronts.
The 30-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia and there has been talk of interest from Juventus but it sounds like the Gunners may err on the side of caution when it comes to sanctioning his departure having already sold Granit Xhaka.
“Thomas Partey is a super important player for us and for me and we want him to be in the team, that’s for sure,” Arteta told a press conference held at MetLife Stadium ahead of tonight’s pre-season friendly with Manchester United.
He added: “Every time I spoke to him, every time I’ve had conversations with him, he’s wanted to stay with us, so there’s nothing there at all.
While Declan Rice looks certain to be given regular game time in midfield following his club-record move to Emirates Stadium, Arteta believes the England international can be used alongside Partey, who he expects to challenge for a place in the starting lineup.
“They can play together and that was in my plans,” noted the boss. “If you want to improve the squad and have more quality, we need players that can play together, but we need players in the same position that have to fight for their places.
“It’s something that we haven’t had over the last few years and we wanted to improve that, and that’s why we brought Declan as well.”
Given Arsenal also have Jorginho on the books, Arteta clearly senses an opportunity to make his midfield, and the team as a whole, more unpredictable. At the moment, it’s a process of test and learn in training.
“Yeah, our Plan A1, A2 and A3, that’s how you want to look at it,” he said.
“We are looking at options, training different options and you have to understand that sometimes you have to leave players to see. Because when you see them training, when you see how they connect with each other, they give you a lot of information, it doesn’t have to be all the time.
“You probably think that they give you a lot of information, and that they need to take that information as well.”
I’m all for this. Gilberto and Vieira springs to mind.
Or Petite and Vieira before that…
*Petit
There is nothing Petit about Patrick
His love for Roy Keane?
They’re good mate now by all accounts:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-manutd-wenger-keane-vieira-29582917
Makes sense. While I hated Keane like the rest, he had my respect because he played hard (complete nutter no doubt and did some stuff he certainly regrets).
It’s pretty rare the tenacity and will to win they shared in modern football. Probably understand each other where many others don’t.
Ashley Cole might know something about that hehehe 😂
Ian Selley and Eddie McGoldrick before that.
Heading to LA in two days from Vancouver Canada, can’t freaking wait!!!!
Also safe flight and have fun Andrew!
So am I! Are you in the Arsenal Canada supporters section?
Unfortunately no… been to the cinema a couple of times over the years but mostly a lone wolf
I think there’s nothing cooler than being a lone wolf, except at wolf picnics when you don’t have a partner for the wolf wheelbarrow races.
Good to see some fellow canagooners out there!
Zidane used to bring Real Madrid to Montreal for training before they go for games in the US. Will love it if Arsenal does that.
He was so freaking good for the most of the season. And better rotation should help him stay fit. I’m not opposed to a huge offer (40 mil +) but anything less and he brings more value in the squad.
We can sell him next year after he has won an invincible quadruple with us this season.
What is his contract situation?
2 years left I believe.
I agree, felt a bit mad to be considering moving him. He’s quality, when fit and firing he’s miles better than jorgs. So much more mobile. I think the rice partey could be a fun one in midfield! Lots of options!
We played our best football when Party was fit and well. He could stay and only need to play 30 games. Knowing our luck Rice will get his first major injury in August. It will be great to bring both onto the pitch once we are 3-0 ahead at City.
Rice. Injury. If you think it then it will happen, don’t go there…
He meant he will injure his tongue while eating some rice.
He’s not a cannibal is he?
Anti jinx
Our three new signings all seem very robust. Probably not a coincidence when analyzing the transfer parameters for this summer.
Rice played 50 games last season. Havertz 47. Timber 47. That’s not even including World Cup/Internationals.
With decent runs in the cups this year we’re hopefully playing at least 55 games.
We’re going to play 38 PL +13 CL + 6 League Cup + 6 FA Cup games. Need all 25 players to contribute for the quadruple
And a Community Shield in a pear tree.
Very, very good news.
Happy days!
Ultimately this is down to the Kroenkes and how they want to balance the books. Keeping Partey is a financial luxury we would love, but the owners will know if that’s something they want to handle.
Keeping Partey is also great for a bit of continuity from last season.
Given the competition for places and variation available in midfield, this could benefit Partey as his form took a huge knock last season. It should allow him some recuperation time, which he probably needs given his injury record over the last few years. Perhaps it’s more the case we’re not receiving the level of bid required to let him go and this is all just a play to get a better offer, or Lavia maybe seems out of reach. But there is no reason Partey shouldn’t be in Arteta’s plans. He was outstanding for the first half of last season.… Read more »
I had serious doubts about us winning a major trophy if Partey left. With Partey staying, our odds of winning a major trophy has tremendously improved. Our squad is arguably the best in the league currently, especially if Balogun stays and the rumoured exodus of key players from city continues.
The disappointing end to last season was all down to injuries & player tiredness due to the same ones being used every week. Keeping Partey & the new players we’ve bought should go a long way to avoiding us repeating that mistake🤞
It’s going to be a long long two way race between us and city.
I wouldn’t write Liverpool off even though their midfield needs another signing or two.
I just dreamt we beat city 8-13 at the Etihad after going in at halftime 5-6 up.
Think we’ll be alright. 😉
3-2-4-1
Rambo
Blanco Willy Gabo
Rice Partey
Saka-MO-(ESR-Kai)-Nelli
Jesus
and a strong bench
I am glad Partey will stay. To let both Xhaka and Partey leave in the same window could have disrupted our midfield. It will take 6 months to a full season for Rice, Havertz, and Timber to full blend into our system and having players like Partey with them will only make it easier. Too many changes in one window is not healthy.
Rambo
Blanco Willy Gabo
Rice TP5
Saka-MO-(ESR-Kai)-Nelli
Jesus
and a strong bench
No.
It’s a viable option, and one which we may see from time to time. Don’t think it’ll be our default formation… but I suspect (and Mikel hints) that unlike last year, we won’t even have a default option/ “settled starting XI”.
I think a more defensively solid team is:
Rammers
White-saliba-magalhaes-zinchenko
Partey
Saka-odegaard(10)-Rice(8)-Martinelli
Jesus
More attacking team is:
Rammers
White-saliba-magalhaes-zinchenko
Rice
Saka-odegaard(10)-Havertz(8)-Martinelli
Jesus
Havertz, sub basically the front 6 along with the other options and Lots of other variants of both in between.
I still think Zinchenko starts when fit.
Sounds like with timber we have an opportunity to invert on the right too. I think Tierney will play a bit more with that option. Arteta talks about options and being unpredictable. With that in mind, have to wonder if we might invert both fullbacks at the same time and maybe play havertz as a second striker. Fun squad!
You’re bad at giving monikers.
Why would we do that?
I really hope we keep him. There will be times, and teams that we play against, where we can take the game to the opposition with only one of Rice or Partey in the defensive midfield role (e.g clubs outside the top 8 at home). In those games, I imagine Arteta will play Havertz and Odegaard in the mid alongside Rice. However, think about how much stability both Rice and Partey could give us together in tough away games. They have the ability to physically dominate pretty much any midfield in the league. Going to somewhere like Old Trafford with… Read more »
After the 180m net outlay, the worry now is a popular player will be sold to balance the books. Thomas and Balogun seem to be unofficially available for 50m each.
It would be a massive statement of intent if the club keep ahold of both of them. Our squad at this very moment looks incredibly strong.
Excellent news. I was struggling to see how we improve and maintain depth in the centre if we let him leave. Some squad we’re gonna have next season!
Bit worried about ffp if no one else goes, but then maybe we can do some enronomics and wait for years for premier league to charge us and then wait for years for them to action the charges.
I’m not too worried about ffp. The bean counters at the club know what they’re doing, they wouldn’t put the club at risk.
Also worth noting the three new players all signed five year contracts so the 200m outlay is recorded in the accounts spread over the next five years.
Thanks that puts my mind at ease.
There’s a tifo video on our spending and how we’re all good considering finishing 2nd etc. Go check it out!
Checked it out very interesting and uplifting thanks Carlos
This. Our FFP limit is still in very good shape. Its not the transfer outlay you should be looking but our wage bill which has been drastically reduced to the point that we now have a lower wage bill than City, Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool.
This makes super-sense. Missing Xhaka and Partey would have been too much for the team.
Partey, Rice, Jorginho and Elneny midfield options has trophies all over it.
£40m or above, yes. Anything below that and we’ll spend more to replace him. I guess the issue is balancing the books for FFP, more likely is the sale of Balogun.
FFP? 😂😂
That thing they have to pretend like there is some sort of league parity?
Have always hoped we keep him as he is a proven player in our system and had a great first 2/3’s of the year before tailing off (for whatever reason) late. The way Havertz looked tonight I would not be surprised to see Partey and Rice start together early in the season.
That’s the logical play either way. Havertz is also a versatile sub.
Rotate him often with Jorgi and keep him fit. Rice and Partey will be our best combo. But we don’t need Partey for every game and Jorgi can definitely step in and do a job. Rice and Partey for the big games gives me a lot of confidence.