Juventus’ shifting January transfer plans are bad news for Arsenal with Thomas Partey and Kalvin Phillips both facing uncertain futures.
According to TeamTalk, Juventus have given up their pursuit of Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey and have turned their attentions to signing Kalvin Phillips instead.
Juventus representatives recently met with Partey, as the Serie A giants were plotting a move for the Arsenal midfielder. However, the Italian club now look to have abandoned their chase for the Ghanaian ace.
This news may well have come as a blow to Mikel Arteta. Arsenal would certainly be wise to try to cash in on the 30-year-old in the upcoming winter window, if there is any chance of receiving a decent fee in exchange for his services.
Fresh Thomas Partey and Kalvin Phillips news is a double blow for Mikel Arteta
The time has come for Arsenal to let Partey go. His injury issues are such a problem now that it is impossible to include him in any long-term plans, as it has to be assumed that he probably won’t be fit and available for so many matches.
Since arriving at the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2020, joining from Atletico Madrid for £45 million, the player has missed a significant chunk of each season he has spent in north London. He is now being sidelined with fitness issues with greater regularity than ever before. As he gets older, his body will fail him more frequently.
Of course, Juventus will be well aware of this problem. It may well be why they are no longer interested in signing Partey. The Gunners had the chance to offload him in the summer, when he was linked with a switch to Saudi Arabia. It was a mistake not to allow him to go then, when he might have fetched a reasonable fee.
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Another problem now facing Arteta is Juventus’ interest in Phillips. The Spanish coach is also keen on securing the services of the Manchester City man. However, the reigning Premier League champions would likely prefer to let the £45 million England man join the Turin-based outfit, rather than their domestic rivals.
Manchester City strengthened Arsenal when they let Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko make the move to north London. The Gunners are now genuine title contenders themselves, aiming to knock Pep Guardiola’s side off their perch. If there is a viable alternative destination for Phillips then Manchester City would surely prefer not to repeat their previous mistake.
