Arsenal remain a Thomas Partey injury away from collapse
With Arsenal’s swift and effective dealings this summer already, the acquisitions of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko suggest Mikel Arteta viewed the striker and left-back positions as key weak spots that needed reinforcements.
Zinchenko’s versatility allows him to be used in midfield too, but his profile and style mean he is not an ideal stand-in for Partey
The conundrum with Partey is that he’s an exceptional player both in terms of screening the midfield, but he is also integral in the way Arteta wants the side to play. Finding a player so strong in both departments will be difficult.
Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi, for example, is an impressive, athletic defensive midfielder. His distribution, however, is below the quality of what Arteta will surely be looking for.
