Charles Watts has stated that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal should have signed Romeo Lavia from Southampton prior to his transfer to Chelsea.
The Arsenal transfer expert shared that there could be a chance that Thomas Partey heads for the exit door in 2024.
It was claimed that the Premier League title hopefuls were ‘open’ to selling Thomas Partey during the 2023 summer transfer window, but a move didn’t materialise.
And now the London club might look to get rid of the 30-year-old, with claims that Romeo Lavia should have been his replacement, as he told Inside Arsenal.
Like many players during the past few transfer windows, Chelsea have signed everything and anything, including putting £58 million (Sky Sports) on the table for Southampton’s relegated teen star.
Injuries have meant that he hasn’t played yet, as it will be interesting to see how he progresses in his career.
Romeo Lavia and Thomas Partey
“I would have liked someone like Lavia from Southampton,” said Watts. “I think he would have been a good option, but I can see why that didn’t happen this summer.
“I do think the time to think about Partey’s exit will be this summer. I don’t know if I would do it. But I think it’s certainly something Arsenal will think about given his contract, there is only a year left, given his age and injury record.
“If a good offer comes in for him, it’s kind of similar to what last summer was. We knew it was something they were open to if something came in that was tempting. I think that would be the case again this summer.”
Thomas Partey’s Arsenal future
At the age of 30, and with Declan Rice the main defensive brain in midfield now, then Partey’s future needs to come into real focus.
As of this moment, Mikel Arteta is yet to play the duo together in the middle of the park.
That’s something fans would probably like to see during these coming months, but if they don’t, then the signs towards Partey will just get louder and louder.
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