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Arsenal take up 'clear stance' on replacing Thomas Partey as transfer hijack rumours swirl
Arsenal have been linked with a move for a new midfielder to replace Thomas Partey.
Arsenal are not currently planning to replace Thomas Partey with Djibril Sow, it has been claimed. The Gunners are yet to enter the race for Sow despite rumours of a potential transfer hijack.
Partey's future has been uncertain since the club-record signing of Declan Rice from West Ham earlier this summer. Reports in July claimed he had agreed terms with a club in the Saudi Pro League.
The Ghana star has entered the final two years of his contract to ramp up talk over a potential exit. However, he remains part of Mikel Arteta's squad and has featured in pre-season.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says reports from Italy that Arsenal are looking at Sow to replace Partey are not true at this time. Lazio and Sevilla are interested in the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder but the Gunners have not attempted to hijack a move at the moment.
Romano told Caught Offside that Arsenal are happy with Partey and want him to stay. The 30-year-old played a key part in the Gunners' second-placed finish in the Premier League last season.
He featured in 33 league matches and was used at right-back towards the end of the campaign. Speaking last month, Arteta reiterated his desire for Partey to stay.
Arteta said: "Without a question of a doubt, Thomas Partey is a super important player for us and for me. I want him to be in the team.
"Every time I spoke to him and every time I have a conversation with him, his will is to stay with us. For me, there's nothing there at all."
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Rice plays in the same position as Partey and there is every expectation the £105million man will start the season in the team. But Arteta insists the pair can play in the same starting XI.
He added: "They can play together and that was in my plans. You want to improve the squad and have more quality.
"We need players who can play together but we need players in the same position who can fight for their places.
"It's something we haven't had over the last few years and we wanted to improve that and that's why we bought Declan."
Arsenal's final pre-season match is against Monaco in the Emirates Cup this evening. They then face Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday.