Chelsea could reportedly make a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder and Arsenal target Thomas Partey as an alternative for prime target for Declan Rice.
According to The Guardian, there has been a new twist in the Thomas Partey transfer saga as Chelsea have now set their sights on the Atletico Madrid midfielder. It essentially means that both the London rivals in Arsenal and Chelsea could be involved in an interesting transfer duel for the player as we head to the closing stages of the transfer window.
Partey has been linked with a move to the Emirates throughout the summer, with Mikel Arteta seemingly desperate to sign a new holding midfielder. The Spaniard does not favour the current Arsenal duo of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi, but the Gunners have unfortunately struggled to meet Atletico Madrid’s €50 million demands for the star midfielder.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have no intention of putting an end to their spending spree this summer, with Frank Lampard still open to replacing Jorginho. Incidentally, the Italian number six has been linked with a shock move to Arsenal this week while the Blues themselves have been keen on West Ham United starlet Declan Rice.
However, the Hammers have done a great job of keeping hold of their holding midfielder and it seems unlikely that the English international will switch to Stamford Bridge this summer. As a result, Chelsea have now turned their attention towards Partey.
The Ghanaian international still faces an uncertain future in the Spanish capital following months of speculation regarding his future. He has featured in all three games for Atletico Madrid this season, but could still be on his way out of the Wanda Metropolitano during the final days of the transfer market.
At Chelsea, the 27-year-old could offer better defensive coverage and work-rate when compared to Jorginho. It could ultimately help provide more solidity to the team, which has faced a lot of criticism for their vulnerability at the back, having already conceded six goals in four matches so far this campaign.
Arsenal, on the other hand, could really use a viable alternative to the midfield duo of Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka. Arteta has done well to include Mohamed Elneny into his first-team plans but could really use the services of a quality enforcer like Thomas, who could undoubtedly help the Gunners become more solid without the ball.
Arsenal have also had to end their pursuit of Houssem Aouar and it looks like they could end the summer without any other midfield addition. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how this transfer saga takes shape in the next few hours, before the transfer window slams shut.
it will be agood signing for chelsea