One of the players from Arsenal’s Saturday 2-0 Premier League victory over Wolves is reportedly up for sale.
Arsenal defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday to start the 2024–25 Premier League season in fine fashion. Under Mikel Arteta’s direction, the Gunners produced a polished performance that bodes well for the upcoming campaign.
Arsenal, who have a difficult start to the league season, won thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. Arteta’s team will need to keep up their momentum as they play Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and the defending champions Manchester City in their first five games.
There were some familiar faces in the Arsenal team that played Wolves, but Arteta is actively trying to add new players to strengthen his group. This summer, the team welcomed Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, and Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino is close to finalizing his transfer from Real Sociedad to Arsenal for an estimated £29.8 million. It is reported that the two clubs are in an advanced stage of negotiations, with the payment schedule being the main topic of discussion.
The 28-year-old Merino, who played for Italy in the squad that won Euro 2024, has shown promise in his role at Sociedad. He primarily filled the role of holding midfielder or No. 8 on the left side of midfield. At six feet two inches, Calafiori first came to Newcastle United on loan from Borussia Dortmund in 2017. A year later, he moved permanently to Sociedad. According to reports, he and Arsenal have reached a personal terms agreement, and he will shortly join the team.
Thomas Partey’s future is still up in the air as Arsenal gets ready to welcome Merino. The Ghanaian midfielder is reportedly nearing the end of his Arsenal career. He still has one year left on his current deal. Even though he played the entire ninety minutes against Wolves, reports indicate that the club might consider accepting offers for the thirty-year-old.
Partey is approaching the end of his contract, and Arsenal is reportedly thinking of selling him this summer, according to Times Sport. Earlier in the transfer window, the former Atletico Madrid player was linked to moves to Saudi Arabia and Serie A, but it looks like interest has cooled. Partey’s future at the team is still up in the air because Arteta and his coaching staff continue to think highly of him.
Expert on transfers Fabrizio Romano also offered his opinion, saying last week in his Daily Briefing that Partey is not nearing a departure from Arsenal. Thomas Partey does not appear to be close to leaving Arsenal at this time.
“Despite some rumors earlier in the window, there have been no significant updates regarding the midfielder. The summer has been quiet, and I haven’t heard anything new about him. So far, no, but let’s see if that changes,” Romano remarked.
