Arsenal plan to part ways with Thomas Partey this summer and are preparing to strengthen their midfield significantly.
The Ghanaian midfielder joined the Gunners in the summer of 2020 when his £50 million release clause from Atletico Madrid was triggered.
Partey was instrumental in Arsenal’s progress under Mikel Arteta, but his impact diminished last season due to a series of injuries.
The 30-year-old did start in Arsenal’s last four games of the season, where they narrowly missed out on the title to Manchester City. However, according to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are now prepared to sell him.
Partey has reportedly attracted interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia, with a potential move to the Turkish Super League also being discussed.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are determined to find a new central midfielder who can play in the No.6 role, allowing Declan Rice to move into a more advanced position.
Arsenal have a long-standing interest in Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz, but with Villa qualifying for the Champions League, they are not pressured to sell him.
Likewise, Newcastle are expected to demand around £100 million for Bruno Guimaraes, who seemed to bid farewell to the fans after last weekend’s game at Brentford.
When asked about Guimaraes’ gesture, Howe responded, “I don’t think it’s a wave goodbye. Bruno probably does that often, but people watching might interpret it that way.”
“From my perspective, I hope it’s not. He is crucial to our plans and is an inspirational player. We are very keen to keep him.”
Striker Alexander Isak has also been rumored to be on the move. Speaking about Isak and Guimaraes, Howe said, “They’re two outstanding players.”
“I’ve mentioned many times this season that they can make a difference and have done so on numerous occasions.”
“It’s always about how the team functions as a whole. The team provides a platform for them to perform well, and their involvement in today’s goals was top class, but we mustn’t forget their teammates who supported them.”
