Arsenal could land Thomas Partey in £43m transfer on one condition out of Gunners' hands

Posted Thursday, April 30, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Arsenal could land Thomas Partey in £43m transfer on one condition out of Gunners' hands (Image: GETTY)

Arsenal could sign Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid if the La Liga season is cancelled.

Top Arsenal target Thomas Partey may well be available in the summer transfer window, despite Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone's desire to keep hold of the Ghanaian midfielder.

Despite beating Liverpool to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, Atletico have endured a difficult season in La Liga.

Before the season was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic, Los Rojiblancos sat only sixth, 13 points off leaders Barcelona.

And while La Liga are eager to conclude their season, there is a real risk that the campaign may not be concluded and may have to be called to a halt early.

With Belgium's Jupiler Pro League and Holland's Eredivisie having already done so, France's Ligue 1 became the first of Europe's five major leagues to end their season early.

That was after the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced this week that team sports in the country would be banned until September, even behind closed doors.

French football's governing body, the LFP, has yet to decide what the move will mean in terms of promotion, relegation, who will be champions and the European places.

Spain's Minister of Health Salvador Illa this week admitted it would be "reckless" of him to suggest La Liga and other football competitions in the country would resume before the summer months.

Ligue 1's decision may pave the way for other major top-flight divisions to follow suit, and that would have major repercussions for Atletico.

Were the Spanish season declared, Atletico would finish sixth and miss out on Champions League football for the first time since 2012-13 and instead be resigned to the Europa League.

And according to Spanish newspaper AS, that would present them with a huge problem - as they rely on qualification for the Champions League financially.

Having to settle for the Europa League would leave a significant hole in their pockets and they would have to make up for it by selling star players, it is reported.

The sale of Partey alone - which would raise £43million (€50m) due to the release clause in his contract - would allow Atletico to make up for the loss in finances.

And Arsenal would therefore be able to pounce and land the man who Mikel Arteta wants to build a new-look midfield around at the Emirates.

Arsenal still have an issue of their own though, in that they must raise the cash to be able to sign Partey should that scenario occur.

The north London club have suffered due to the coronavirus crisis and a lack of Champions League football in recent seasons.

And it may require them to sell players to be able to meet Partey's exit clause at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio told Sky Sports this week: "Arsenal want him a lot. Every Atletico Madrid player is in the market.

"So, it depends a lot on the offer. Atletico are open to selling every player if the offer is good.

"It also depends on budget - how much Arsenal can afford? And how much Atletico want?

"Atletico will want money, so it is difficult to see them doing a deal involving other players as part of it.

"They are very smart when it comes to doing deals and it will not be a surprise if Thomas Partey was to stay.

"He is young, he is not like Diego Costa, and they can sell him next year if they want or even in two years' time. So they are in control."

Partey has been a key player for Simeone, who lost another lynchpin of his midfield last summer when selling Rodri to Manchester City for around £63m.

And it has been suggested a new contract worth around £130,000 a week - double the Ghana international's current wages - to try and keep him in the Spanish capital.

Reports have claimed such a new deal would take his release clause up to around £100m.