Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could reportedly be willing to offload Alexandre Lacazette as part of a deal to clinch the transfer of Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.
The Ghana international has shown some truly world class form in La Liga and the Champions League in recent times, and looks like he’d be an instant upgrade on pretty much every midfielder in this Arsenal squad.
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The Gunners would do well to do whatever it takes to land Partey, and the Sun suggest it could mean sacrificing Lacazette, with Atletico in the hunt for a new signing up front.
This could be a smart swap deal for Arsenal to bring Partey’s asking price down, with the Sun claiming he’s currently valued at around £50million.
That seems like a lot for Arsenal to pay, with the north London giants not generally known for splashing the cash on big-name signings too often.
Still, Partey looks well worth pursuing, and many Gooners won’t shed a tear if Lacazette ends up leaving the Emirates Stadium to help get this deal over the line.
Despite looking a promising signing when he joined, the Frenchman hasn’t really lived up to expectations in his time in the Premier League, with Brazilian wonderkid Gabriel Martinelli and homegrown youngster Eddie Nketiah perhaps worthy of more playing time anyway.
Of course, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nearing the final year of his contract, selling a proven striker like Lacazette could be a bit risky, but there’s no doubt AFC need more quality in midfield, while they’re currently pretty well stocked up front.