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Arsenal handed Thomas Partey transfer ultimatum as Atletico Madrid make swap deal decision
Arsenal are interested in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.
Thomas Partey: Pundits discuss potential Arsenal transfer
Arsenal will only be able to sign Thomas Partey this summer if they pay his £45million release clause in full, according to Spanish reports. The latest noise coming out of Madrid is that Atletico are simply not interested in other forms of negotiations including swap deals.
Partey emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal earlier this summer with Mikel Arteta looking to quickly improve his squad to avoid falling further behind the pack.
The 27-year-old is contracted to Atletico until 2023 but he is currently stalling on signing a new deal.
Atletico want to tie him down until 2025 and his remarkable development under Diego Simeone sees him held in very high regard around the Wanda Metropolitano.
Arsenal are already working on limited finances and therefore had hoped to try and agree a cut-price deal for Partey one way or another.
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There has been talk that Alexandre Lacazette or Matteo Guendouzi could be offered as part of an exchange for the midfielder.
However, according to Madrid-based journalist David Vinuesa Malbac of esRadio, Atletico have now decided that Thomas will only leave if his full release clause is met.
Arsenal may now have to sell before they can even consider incomings, particularly of this magnitude.
The Gunners are set to miss out on Europe for next season which will also limit their budget.
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Arteta has explained that given Arsenal's current position, they have to get things right in the transfer market.
“We know that we don’t have any margin for error and everything has to be so planned,” said the Arsenal boss.
“I have to say that I am very confident with the way that the owners and the board are approaching this crucial time for us.
"With a great process to put the team into the next level very quickly. Once we know a little bit more and have more information about where we are it will be easier to make those decisions.”
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Former Tottenham right-back Kieran Trippier doesn't want to see his current team-mate move to London but he does believe the box-to-box midfield powerhouse has all the attributes needed to be a success in the Premier League.
“I’d seen him play for Atletico but I didn’t realise how good he is. It’s unbelievable, his physicality, how he breaks up play. Technically, he’s got everything," Trippier told The Beautiful Game Podcast.
“He ranks as one of the best midfielders I’ve played with but Mousa is Mousa, he’s on a different planet. Even in training he’s just in cruise control.
“Ask anybody who has played with him and they’ll say Mousa Dembele. That’s how good he was. It was frightening. But Thomas is still very young and everybody loves him out here.”
“Going to the Premier League… who knows? Obviously I want him to stay here because he’s a valuable member to our team. But I feel like he speaks perfect English. I don’t think he’d have a problem with the Premier League.”
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