The potential departure of Thomas Partey from Arsenal has triggered discussions about the team’s incoming transfers, putting immense pressure on Edu Gaspar, the club’s technical director, to secure the signings of up to three midfielders, excluding Kai Havertz.
Reports suggest that Arsenal is willing to let Thomas Partey leave the club this summer. In addition, Granit Xhaka’s move to Bayer Leverkusen for €15 million (£13 million) is expected to go through, as per football.london.
These anticipated departures were already causing concerns for Arsenal’s squad depth this season. However, the loss of these two influential midfielders amplifies the urgency for reinforcements in the market.
Despite Jorginho’s rise in the pecking order towards the end of the season, Thomas Partey remains one of the premier players in his position in the league.
Arsenal had a bid rejected for Declan Rice, which amounted to over £90 million, including add-ons, according to football.london. The club also has an interest in Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, and they have made an offer to sign Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer.
There is concrete interest in Kai Havertz as well, who previously played in midfield for Bayer Leverkusen and could provide more offensive threat in Mikel Arteta’s system.
However, the reality is that few expected a midfield overhaul this summer. But if both Partey and Xhaka were to leave, Arsenal would be forced to face this situation.
The club had initially planned to sign two midfielders this summer, without considering the addition of an attacking midfield option like Havertz or the previously linked Mason Mount.
However, with the potential departure of Partey, it now appears that Arsenal would require another midfielder to fill the void.
If Arsenal manages to secure three midfielders of high quality, it would be an ideal outcome. However, there are concerns about the implications of such a significant turnover for the team.
The potential arrival of Rice and Caicedo had been theorized by many, but if both were to start, it would mean that Partey would miss out on a place in Arsenal’s strongest lineup.
It is possible that Arteta’s plan all along was to have a different starting midfield alongside Martin Odegaard. The manager has demonstrated his adaptability by changing systems throughout his relatively short tenure, which has seen Arsenal go from 11th place to competing for the title.
However, there remains a concern about the depth of the squad. If the replacements for Xhaka and Partey are unavailable for any reason, will the squad have enough quality to compete in the Champions League?
This is where Edu Gaspar’s role becomes crucial. He needs to secure not only replacements but also talented additions like Romeo Lavia, in addition to potentially signing Rice, Caicedo, and/or Caicedo. Arteta must not enter the new season with identified needs that have gone unfilled during the summer transfer window.
It is imperative that Arteta is provided with the necessary tools to lead the club forward and compete at the elite level in European football. Failure to do so would be considered one of the worst setbacks in the club’s recent history.
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