Mikel Arteta has bullishly insisted Thomas Partey will not be sold this summer despite Declan Rice’s arrival. The 30-year-old midfielder’s future at the club appeared to be in the balance after Arsenal paid a British record £105m to West Ham for Rice. But Arteta is clear Partey will not leave.
“Thomas Partey is a super-important player for us and for me and we want him to be in the team,” the manager said in New Jersey during Arsenal’s tour of the US. “They can play together [he and Rice]. That was in my plans – if you want to improve the squad and have more quality we need players who can play together and need players in the same positions who have to fight for their places. It’s something we haven’t had in the last few years.
