Edu draws up three-man shortlist with £45m Arsenal star now very ‘likely’ to be sold

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Arsenal are now preparing for life without Thomas Partey.

Thomas Partey does not represent the long term future of the Arsenal midfield.

In many ways, Arsenal are already living life without Partey, as the player has scarcely been available for action. He has managed just five appearances for the Gunners this season, including a Community Shield outing, and has not been seen on the pitch in red and white since he came off of the bench in the 1-0 win over Manchester City back in early October.

A recent return date was mooted, before Partey suffered yet another setback in his recovery process. The truth is, the 30-year-old has not been greatly missed this season, or at least not to nearly the same extent as he has been in previous campaigns, as this current injury lay-off is far from being a unique occurrence. 

The summer arrival of Declan Rice has made Mikel Arteta far less reliant upon the Ghanaian, and now Arsenal are in a position where they can consider cutting ties with him completely. There is no doubting the £45 million former Atletico Madrid man’s quality as a player, but he simply can’t be relied upon to be fit and available when needed, and the north London club cannot afford to carry such a player.

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are very “likely” to sell Partey in the upcoming summer transfer window. Sporting director Edu also already has three potential replacement options for the midfielder in mind. 

Who does Edu want to replace Thomas Partey at Arsenal?

One man that Arsenal have their eye on is Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz, who they have been interested in for some time. Luiz has previously been described as Arteta’s “dream” target, and it is easy to see why. The Brazilian has proven himself at Premier League level, brings tenacity and flair to the middle of the park, and can make an impact at both ends of the pitch.

Really Sociedad ace Martin Zubimendi is also on the Gunners’ shortlist. It has previously been reported that Edu is willing to trigger Zubimendi’s £52 million release clause. The 25-year-old has previously been compared with Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets, and would bring some additional silk and steel to the Arsenal midfield, alongside Rice. 

Finally, Edu has his eye on Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich. The German giants are currently working on extending the 29-year-old’s contract, which is set to expire in 2025. If they are not able to agree fresh terms with the player, though, he could be available for a knock-down fee. Whilst he is beyond the age range that Arsenal generally like to buy in, Kimmich has long since proven himself to be of elite quality.