Arsenal may have been handed a huge boost with the return of Thomas Partey from injury ahead of their clash with Brentford on Saturday. The Ghanaian midfielder has been a key influence in the middle of the park for Mikel Arteta since his arrival, however his fitness concerns have caused issues along the way.
Since joining in 2020, the 29-year-old has missed a total of 36 competitive fixtures for the Gunners, underlying just how concerning his absence is. An injury towards the back end of last season during the crucial run in proved difficult to manage, however the input of Mohamed Elneny helped fill that void.
The Egyptian went on to earn a contract extension at the club, however when asked to fill in for Partey this season, he too suffered an injury that will keep him out for an extended period. It left Arteta with just a few hours in the transfer window to add a new face to the midfield ranks.
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The Spaniard tried to land Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa, but that approach failed as the Villains refused to let the Brazilian leave so late in the window. When asked about the last gasp move, Arteta said: "The club has done a phenomenal job and put everything on the table to try to bring the players and the profiles we wanted.
"We did business pretty early but unfortunately in the last 72 hours, Thomas [Partey] got injured in the same place he got injured last time and then Mo [Mohamed Elneny] has a long-term injury and we had to react in the market. We tried but at the end of the day, we have to bring the player that we feel is the right player for the team and as well for the club and we didn't manage to do that."
In the absence of the duo, the manager has looked to use Sambi Lokonga in the role, one he has taken to with mixed results so far as he still learns his trade. However, he may soon see competition for that place once again in a huge boost to the squad heading into the weekend.
That's because CBS Sports' James Benge reports that Partey is back in full training ahead of the clash with Brentford on Saturday. It means the midfielder could look to make a return ahead of the international break - where he could be involved for Ghana after receiving a call-up for some friendly matches.
The Gunners may be wary to throw him back into the deep end with an immediate start though, with another extended absence a very distinct possibility and one they would rather not deal with.
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