Thomas Partey has told friends he wants to join Arsenal this summer and is hopeful that an agreement can be reached with Atletico Madrid.
Partey has been identified by Mikel Arteta as a priority target this summer, with the Spaniard keen on adding defensive cover in his central midfield.
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Arsenal have long searched for a defensive midfielder after Arsene Wenger neglected the role in his later years at the Emirates
But Arteta was set to have a limited budget this summer before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
The pandemic is set to further impact Arsenal’s finances but Arteta remains hopeful that a deal can be done and knows that Atletico are interested in Alexandre Lacazette, who he’s willing to let go.
Partey has a release clause of £45million which Arsenal could trigger at any time but they must be convinced that the midfielder wants to make the move.
That may be a formality though as the Telegraph claim the Ghanaian has told friends that he wants to move to the Emirates this summer.
Partey, 26, is keen on proving himself in the Premier League after five years in the Spanish capital.
The make-up of any deal is unclear and Arsenal could trigger Partey’s release clause before agreeing a fee for Lacazette but what’s clear is that Arteta believes he needs a strong midfield to compete for top four places.
Granit Xhaka wanted to leave in January and could be allowed to do so this summer, while Lucas Torreira has been frozen out and has attracted interest from AC Milan.
