Arsenal transfer exclusive: Thomas Partey contract update as Barcelona 'consider' shock move

The Ghana international has entered the last six months of his agreement with Mikel Arteta's side, meaning that he is free to hold pre-contract talks with foreign clubs ahead of a free transfer at the end of the season.

La Liga giants Barcelona are supposedly planning a shock swoop for Partey as a replacement for Frenkie de Jong, and Arsenal would lose a €50m (£41.9m) investment for nothing if he was to walk away at the end of the season.

According to Gunners expert Watts, no conversations have been held over the possibility of prolonging Partey's contract, but the former Atletico Madrid man is "very happy" at the Emirates and there is no chance that the club will consider bids in January unless a "ridiculous" proposal is made.

"I can't see there's any way they'd do any business for Partey in January," Watts said. "There's no point, you're not going to get much money for him with six months left on his contract. Unless someone came in with a ridiculous offer that you had to accept from a business point of view, which I don't see anyone doing, then it just doesn't make any sense to me.

"You see him out for the season and then have a discussion. As far as I'm aware, there have been no discussions yet with Thomas. He's very happy at Arsenal. He loves it in London, just had a new baby over here, so he's settled. But there haven't been any contract talks, certainly as far as I'm aware, on him.

"And Mikel said himself recently that he doesn't want any of that stuff now. He wants to wait until the end of the season. I think he'll be getting offers from elsewhere as well that will probably be longer and more lucrative than what Arsenal are offering. So as happy as he is in London, he's got to look at that and think for himself, for his family, what's the best move for him."

Partey arrived at the Emirates to much fanfare from Atletico in the summer of 2020, but the midfielder struggled to stay fit during his first couple of years in North London and did not truly make a name for himself at Arsenal until his third season.

Partey and Granit Xhaka formed a highly effective double pivot in the 2022-23 campaign as the Gunners mounted an unexpected title charge, and the Ghanaian has been fundamental to Arteta's plans once again in the 2024-25 season.

Featuring as both a number six and emergency right-back when required, Partey has scored two goals and provided two assists from 28 appearances in all competitions this season, starting 16 Premier League games and all six of the Gunners' Champions League league phase matches so far.

However, the 31-year-old is still on the same terms he signed upon his arrival in 2020, which according to Capology sees him pocket £200,000 a week, making him the fifth-highest earner at the club behind Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.

Partey has missed a total of 81 matches for club and country over the past four-and-a-half years, and Watts can understand Arsenal's initial hesitation to tie him down to fresh terms, but Arteta will not sanction any January sale due to his current importance to the team.

Watts: 'No simple conclusion to Partey talks'

"It's a difficult one with Thomas because he's going to be 32 at the start of next season. His injury record is not great. So I can understand from Arsenal's point of view, you'd look at that," Watts added.

"He's one of the top earners at the club. And you think can we really give him an extension due to his age, his injury record? So I can understand they're thinking about it. But from Thomas's point of view as well, I think he's shown this season when he's fit, he's been Arsenal's best midfielder, there's no doubt about it.

"It's not going to be a simple conclusion, I don't think, to these potential discussions that will happen further down the line, but not for January. Thomas is absolutely key to this Arsenal team at the moment.

"He's showing that he's fit, he's playing every week. Mikel could not do without him at the moment. So no, nothing will happen this month and then the talks will start towards the end of the season and a decision will have to be made."

Partey boasts seven goals and six assists from 143 appearances in an Arsenal shirt and is expected to be involved when the Gunners take on FA Cup holders Manchester United in Sunday's third-round blockbuster.

Written by

Ben Knapton