Mikel Arteta drops big hint over Thomas Partey's Arsenal future | OneFootball

Thomas Partey's Arsenal career may not be over after Mikel Arteta hinted that the club may offer him a new contract.

The 31-year-old, who joined the Gunners from Atletico Madrid in 2020, has been in good form over recent months, operating as both a central midfielder but also as an emergency right-back in the absence of the injured Jurrien Timber and Ben White.

The expectation has been that Partey will depart at the end of his current deal, potentially re-joining Atletico or heading to the riches of the Saudi Pro League, while Arsenal are also set to lose Jorginho in the summer, potentially allowing the Italy international to return to his native Brazil to join Flamengo on a free transfer.

However, speaking in his latest media conference, Arteta suggested that Partey's time in north London may not be coming to an end after all.

"Yes, there is progress with all the players," Arteta retorted when asked about how any progress on contracts. "I'll leave that to [sporting director] Andrea [Berta] and the club to decide and to talk about.

"The intention is very clear. I'll leave that to Andrea and the club to take a step forward," he added.

Partey is also thought to have attracted the interest of Barcelona – likely because any move to Catalonia would not involve a transfer fee – but the Ghana international has remained tight-lipped about his future.

It's clear he remains a player of significant importance to Arteta. highlighted by the fact he's started 26 of the 30 Premier League games he's been available for. He will, however, be absent for the first leg of Arsenal's Champions League semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain after accumulating too many yellow cards.

"We have a few options and we're not going to give anything away," Arteta said of Partey's impending suspension. "It was a night for the club that was great and that's it. The best ones are still ahead and to come. We all have a big ambition and big objectives and we are in the right direction. But the next steps are going to be tough and we're going to have to be at our best."