Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the club will not transfer Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey this summer.
In the last few weeks, the Black Stars midfield enforcer has been linked with several clubs including a possible move to Italian Serie A giants Juventus.
Speaking in an interview in New Jersey during Arsenal’s tour of the US, Mikel Arteta has disclosed that Thomas Partey will stay at the club for next season despite the arrival of midfielder Declan Rice.
“Yes [he will stay] – Thomas Partey is a super-important player for us and for me and we want him to be in the team, that’s for sure,” the Arsenal manager said.
Thomas Partey continued, “They [Partey and Rice] can play together. That was in my plans – if you want to improve the squad and have more quality we need players who can play together and need players in the same positions who have to fight for their places – it’s something we haven’t had in the last few years.
“We want to improve that and that’s why we brought in Declan as well. Every time I spoke to him [Partey] and had a conversation with him he’s ready to stay with us. For me, there’s nothing there at all.”
Thomas Partey is expected to feature for Arsenal later today when the club takes on Manchester United in a pre-season friendly match.