Partey Eager To Join Gunners But Arsenal Needs More Push

Arsenal FC has a busy week ahead, needing to move players to sign the targets that Mikel Arteta has in mind. One of those players is Thomas Partey who is keen to make the jump to Emirates Stadium.

Partey has been heavily linked to a move to Arsenal although nothing has gone beyond interest. Talks between the Gunners and Atletico Madrid have not been that successful thus far though the tide may turn in the coming days. Partey's contract with Atletico runs through 2023 and the club is trying to convince the 27-year-old to prolong his stay at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Goal reported.

Though talks involving the Ghanian player seem to have bogged down, it is all because Arsenal is trying to find ways to raise funds. Like most clubs, the Gunners need to unload some players first before thinking of getting in their targets.

It will be recalled that with cash limitations, Arsenal is trying to engage Atletico in a player plus cash deal. Matteo Guendouzi was one of the names suggested by Los Indios was not interested in it. Partey carries a $60 million release clause and the Gunners are trying to find ways to meet it.

The good news is that Atletico is not completely shutting the door on a possible player plus cash deal. The player that Los Indios is interested in is Alexander Lacazette. Unfortunately, Arteta is not keen on dealing with the 29-year-old player.

With that in mind, the only recourse that the Gunners may have at this point is to sell their player and raise the needed cash for Partey. Guendouzi has had his share of interest although Villareal appears to be the logical club to talk with.

Barcelona and is another team that had expressed interest in the 21-year-old player but their current turmoil is unlikely to make them an ideal destination.

The latest team linked to Guendouzi is Paris Saint-Germain although critics don't see this prospering. Arteta has not entirely given up on the French player and mentioned that he is willing to forget the past and start from scratch.

"I have been really clear that everybody starts from zero all the time in football," Arteta said in a previous post. "What you did two weeks ago or two years ago doesn't really matter.