“WE LOVE YOU, BUT ITS TIME FOR YOU TO GET OUT OF OUR CLUB” £45M ARSENAL Superstar Told To Leave In The Summer; Arteta & Edu Made Tough Decision To Replace Him With Player Better Than De Jong

The exceptional youngster could form a brilliant partnership with Declan Rice.

Arsenal are on the march in the Premier League and Champions League this season, and after a few years of intelligent acquisitions in the transfer market, look set to challenge the top sides for several campaigns to come.

Alongside adding quality throughout, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have trimmed the squad where necessary, and it’s probably time they sanctioned the exit of a certain big-name player: Thomas Partey.

The decision to do so could be made much easier thanks to the development of a terrific Hale End gem who could form a brilliant partnership with Declan Rice in his place.

Why Thomas Partey should be moved on

The Gunners completed the £45m signing of Partey in October 2020, and it would be fair to say that when he’s played, he has generally been one of the club’s best players. However, therein lies the main problem: he doesn’t play enough.

In the three and a half seasons he has been at the Emirates, the Ghanaian international has missed a grand total of 72 games for club and country, which averages out to around 18 games a season. He has already missed 26 this year alone, and based on his record, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him miss more.

Thomas Partey’s Arsenal record

Season

Appearances

Goals

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Assists

Games missed through injury

2020/21

33

0

3

21

2021/22

26

2

1

19

2022/23

40

3

0

6

2023/24

6

0

0

26

Total

15

5

4

72

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Now, if the club had no one to replace the 30-year-old, it might be worth persisting with him next year, but with the club’s £105m man playing the six role at such a high level this season, that seems pointless.

Moreover, with the CIES Football Observatory valuing the Krobo Odumase-born star at just €15m – £13m – Arsenal should look to offload him as soon as possible in the summer before that value plummets further, especially as a Hale End gem could take his place in the team and form a longterm partnership with Rice.

Why Charlie Patino could replace Partey

The young Hale End graduate in question is Englishman Charlie Patino, who has thrived with the youth teams and impressed out on loan.

The Watford-born gem made 47 appearances for the U18 and U21 sides before joining Championship outfit Blackpool on a season-long loan last year.

In his year with the Seasiders, the 20-year-old played in 37 games, scored three goals, provided four assists, and left a big impression on the fans and his teammates. Former Blackpool forward Jerry Yates described him as “sensational” and predicted that “he’ll be a top, top player” in the future.

Unfortunately, the Tangerines were eventually relegated, and so this season, the Gunners sent their young prospect on loan to a stronger team in Swansea City, where he has made 31 appearances thus far, scored four goals and provided four assists.

Charlie Patino’s Championship record

Team

Blackpool

Swansea City

Appearances

37

31

Goals

3

4

Assists

4

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.18

0.25

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Something else the “golden” gem, as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, has up his sleeve is his versatility. Last year, he played 18 games as a central midfielder and 13 as a defensive midfielder. In contrast, this season, he’s started as a central midfielder nine times and an attacking midfielder six times while filling in off the bench wherever needed in his other 16 appearances.

This ability to play anywhere in the midfield would be incredibly beneficial if he were to replace Partey and form a partnership with Rice. He could come in as the six and allow the former West Ham man to bomb forward, or he could do the attacking as his senior teammate sits back and shields the back four.

Ultimately, with the Ghanaian playing a minimal role this season and thus proving he is not an essential player anymore, Arteta and Edu should move him on in the summer, especially with Patino waiting in the wings for his chance in that midfield.