‘Arsenal suffer same fate as Liverpool’ with star man set to quit
(Credit: Imago/Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)
Thomas Partey could now walk away from Arsenal on a free transfer in a major new blow – with his contract set to expire next week (30 June).
The Ghana international midfielder, 32, had been in negotiations to sign an extension at the Emirates Stadium but it has been widely reported that talks are at a standstill.
According to The Athletic (24 June), 23-year-old Lucien Agoume of Sevilla is being lined up as a potential replacement for Partey.
Partey, who joined Arsenal in 2020, made 52 appearances across all competitions last term in his most important season at the club yet.
But Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – insisted “player power” means the midfielder and his agent will seek a bigger contract elsewhere, just as Liverpool‘s Trent Alexander-Arnold did.
‘Arsenal will have to accept Partey exit’, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness claimed players running down their deals to leave for free on lucrative deals is “just the modern game now”.
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Partey has made 167 appearances for Arsenal since joining from Atletico Madrid five years ago for a fee of around £45million.
Wyness insisted Mikel Arteta will have been desperate to keep his experience as part of his squad for the 2025-26 campaign.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “He’s been a talent. I like watching Thomas Partey play. He’s my type of player in terms of getting stuck in.
“It would be a loss, but that’s the name of the game now. We’ve seen it with player power in a number of issues. We’ve seen it at Liverpool, with Trent.
“We’ve seen it in other areas. I’m afraid it’s to be expected. Arsenal want another year out of him, I think Arteta would like him. He’d like that experience to stay in there, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.
“I do expect Partey to go and Arsenal have just got to accept that, it’s just the modern game right now, the way it’s panned out.
“I think they did try and keep him for a longer-term contract before, but his agent and himself have decided it’s time for a move and another contract somewhere else. He’s a talent, and he’ll do well wherever he goes.”
Arsenal set stance on Martinelli deal
Meanwhile, Football Insider has revealed (25 June) that Arsenal are not planning to sell Gabriel Martinelli this summer despite interest from German giants Bayern Munich.
The 24-year-old is reportedly a target for Vincent Kompany‘s Bundesliga winners this summer.
Arsenal are themselves looking for a new left-sided winger to provide competition and potentially upgrade on Martinelli as they look to make a leap in their quest for silverware.
However, it is believed selling the Brazil international is not currently on the agenda for Gunners chiefs.
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