MIKEL ARTETA could not help but give a cheeky smile when asked about signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.
The Ghanian has emerged as a priority signing for the Gunners as they desperately seek stability in the middle of the park.
Partey’s dad even revealed the two clubs were negotiating a transfer, appearing to confirm his son’s interest in moving to the Emirates.
But the player’s representatives later denied talks were progressing.
And after being questioned on the possibility of Arsenal wrapping up a deal to sign the midfielder, Arteta let out a small grin.
He then said: “At the moment, just to predict what is going to happen in the transfer window is impossible.
“You can see one or two clubs doing these sorts of deals, but the rest are really, really quiet.
“As I told, we have to assess the financial situation and whether we have a very narrow gap or a bigger gap to do any deals.
“So I think we are going to have to wait another four to six weeks to see what we are able to do.”
Partey has a release clause of £45million and Atletico are said to be already looking for replacements.
Arsenal’s interest has been described as an “open secret” in Spain, where it is believed failure to qualify for the Champions League will not affect the transfer.
The 27-year-old has been a vital part of Diego Simeone’s plans this season making 27 league appearances and eight in Europe.
Partey has also contributed to their incredible defensive record that has seen them concede just 22 goals throughout the league campaign.
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By: Jack Figg
Title: Mikel Arteta gives away cheeky smile when asked about Thomas Partey to Arsenal transfer
Sourced From: www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11951935/arsenal-transfer-news-thomas-partey-mikel-arteta-atletico-madrid/
Published Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:36:38 +0000
