So much excitement greeted Thomas Partey's arrival at Arsenal, but to say he has lived up to the lofty expectations predicted of him at Emirates would be generous.
The Gunners parted ways with £45million man to lure him to North London from Atletico Madrid on deadline day in October of 2020. A supremely gifted midfielder, Partey had plenty of admirers across the continent but it was Arsenal who got the deal done.
Talk of Arsenal being nailed-on top four favourites soon followed as a result of his signing, but things didn't exactly go to plan. The main issue is the Ghanaian has struggled to get a regular run of games under his belt due to persistent injury problems.
Partey had a near-impeccable fitness record in the Spanish capital, but has spent plenty of time on the Arsenal treatment table. In his first campaign at the club, the 29-year-old missed 10 games in the Premier League alone through injury.
Few Gunners fans can forget the sight of Partey walking off of the pitch of his own accord in the middle of a North London derby just months after he'd joined. Arteta was forced to try and physically shove him back into the thick of things, but the damage was done - both to the player's knee and Arsenal's chances of winning the game as Harry Kane took advantage of the situation to score.
Things barely improved last term, with Partey missing nine league games as a result of his fitness problems. It's not as if he's made up for it by being flawless every time he is fit enough to play either. It was only late last year the midfielder admitted he'd rate his Arsenal career a four out of 10 up to that point.
Now, with Partey yet again a doubt for the upcoming visit of Spurs after he pulled out of Ghana's friendly against Brazil in the warm-up, the time has come for Arteta to reassess his midfield options. As gifted as Partey is, he simply cannot be relied upon over the course of a whole season.
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Arsenal have aspirations of returning to the European elite, but last season's late capitulation proved that they are one Partey-injury away from their entire season derailing.
Albert Sambi Lokonga is the Ghanaian's current deputy and while he has shown glimpses of his prowess, the jury is still out over whether he can be entrusted to be a midfield mainstay for a side with Champions League aspirations.
In turn, Arteta must act and spend the summer searching for a player capable of reducing Partey to a squad player. The Gunners need someone who can be relied upon for more fixtures in the same way Granit Xhaka is.
Eyebrows were raised when the summer window passed without any additions in the middle of the park, Arteta cannot afford to make that same mistake in January when a place in the Champions League will yet again be at stake.
