Had you asked Arsenal fans at the end of last season what the future should hold for midfielder Thomas Partey, you would have been hard-pressed to find anybody making the case for him to stay at the club.
The Ghanaian had looked all but certain to be sold by the Gunners in the summer transfer window, but such a move never transpired, and he looked destined for a season of playing second fiddle to Declan Rice and new signing Mikel Merino.
“My head is always here, this is where I choose to play,” Partey said in April when asked about his uncertain Arsenal future – a clear indication that he is not interested in criticism from others.
His start to the 2024/25 campaign has been nothing short of remarkable and, as the months tick down on his Arsenal contract – the club are now faced with making a difficult, but important, decision.
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Unexpected playing time
Following the £31.6 million arrival of Merino back in August, many expected the Spaniard to start in a double pivot alongside Declan Rice – but these plans were dashed before they could even be tested.
This was because the former Real Sociedad midfielder suffered a fractured shoulder in just his first training session with his new club – after colliding with defender Gabriel Magalhães.
With Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi Lokonga both having left Arsenal during the summer transfer window, Arteta was left with a choice between either Partey or Jorginho to partner Rice in midfield.
Fans were unsure on which veteran midfielder should be given the nod but, for Arteta, the choice was clear – as he selected Partey for the Gunners’ opening Premier League game of the season, at home to Wolves.
Since then, Partey has started in all 10 of Arsenal’s Premier League games, as well as in all four of their UEFA Champions League outings so far – becoming one of the few ever-presents in Arteta’s side this season.
While many Arsenal fans were worried about the prospect of the 31-year-old starting on a regular basis – after his form trailed off at the back end of last season – he has delivered when it matters most.
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Renewed form
Partey has surprised everyone with his recent upturn in form, but nobody has been happier to see the veteran back to his best than Arteta.
Reflecting on Partey’s terrific ability when at his best, Arteta recently said: “The one thing we needed was for Thomas to be at the level we expected. He’s working incredibly hard to achieve what he’s doing now.
“He’s playing really well in various positions, adapting to different demands, and coping brilliantly. He’s a key player for us,” when speaking to the club website.
He has not been phased despite often being deployed at right-back in the absence of Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Whether it be on the right of defence or in a defensive midfield position, Partey has offered some much-needed defensive solidity at a time when there has been plenty of upheaval in the Gunners’ backline.
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Contract uncertainty
Partey’s current contract with Arsenal is due to expire next summer, meaning that he can agree a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs as soon as January 1 2025.
Until this season, the expectation had been that Arsenal would let the Ghanaian’s deal expire and grant him a free transfer to offload his wages – but recent reports have thrown this into doubt.
These reports have suggested that, after seeing his newfound form and consistency, Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy are now keen to extend Partey’s contract – perhaps with a ‘Jorginho-like’ contract.
Such a short-term deal, with an option to extend it, would see relatively low risk from the Gunners’ perspective, but could reap huge rewards if Partey can maintain his current form.
Speaking on a potential new deal for Partey, Arteta said: “He’s only 31 and he’s in a really good place and yeah, we’ll have discussions,” at the start of November.
