Atletico Madrid are eyeing up a move for Thomas Partey as Diego Simeon plots a midfield rebuild this summer.
The 31-year-old is out of contract this summer and appears destined to leave Arsenal on a free transfer.
Barcelona were understood to be among his admirers, but a return to Atletico and a reunion with Simeone now appears to be on the cards, according to Marca.
Mikel Arteta has remained coy on Partey’s future over the past couple of months but with no progress made on contract talks, Arsenal appear ready to sanction his departure.
Indeed, the Gunners are already understood to have lined up a replacement in the shape of Spain international Martin Zubimendi.
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Why did Thomas Partey leave Atletico Madrid?
(Credits: Action Images via Reuters)
Partey, meanwhile, left Atletico in the summer of 2020 after he failed to agree a new deal having wanted a significant pay rise.
Arsenal pounced by activating a £50 million release clause in his contract and have enjoyed the peak years of his career.
Partey has, arguably, enjoyed the best season of his Arsenal career this term having finally appeared to have shrugged off the injuries that have plagued him in the past/
He put in a tremendous performance against Real Madrid last night as Arsenal booked their place in the Champions League semi finals.
His night, however, ended on a sour note after he picked up a needless yellow card and will now miss the first leg of the game against PSG in a fortnight’s time.
Former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott fears Partey will be a big miss against the French champions and is concerned that the only option to Arteta appears to be Mikel Merino who has done an excellent job as a makeshift striker.
‘Arsenal and Paris St-Germain are definitely the two best teams in this season’s Champions League, and the semi-final is going to be a completely different story to when Mikel Arteta’s side beat them 2-0 at the Emirates in October,’ Walcott told the BBC.
‘PSG hadn’t really clicked then, but they have now. Arsenal will be ready for them, but I think they might miss Thomas Party, who is suspended after his yellow card tonight.
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‘He was so important at the Bernabeu, not just with the way he was getting back into the back-line and to help out with the amount of crosses he was dealing with tonight.
‘Partey was also helping Arsenal to slow the ball down and to control the midfield. The PSG game is all going to be about the midfield for me and Declan Rice is now probably going to play a game with someone who he is less familiar with.
‘Mikel Merino can drop in there, but that might affect the forward line more because of where he has been playing recently.
‘This is what Mikel Arteta will be thinking about now, and he might tinker with a few things against Ipswich and Crystal Palace, to try things out before the semi-final.’
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