Arsenal face the prospect of losing a "big player" for Mikel Arteta in the next few weeks, as it is believed he's now keen to leave the Emirates, and one club has already made an "official move".
Arsenal players on the way out this summer
A good portion of Gunners squad members are already poised to end their time at N5, including some pretty considerable names.
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He's apparently very keen.
Brazilian Serie A side Flamengo, who've agreed to sign Jorginho from Arsenal, are now set to formally land the Italy international before their Club World Cup campaign begins on June 17, with Arteta's side green-lighting his earlier-than-anticipated exit (Fabrizio Romano).
Left-back Kieran Tierney is also set to re-join Celtic after shaking hands on a pre-contract with the Scottish champions, as was confirmed all the way back in February. The left-back scored in his last ever game for Arsenal against Southampton on Sunday, after getting the starting nod from Arteta, with Tierney signing off on his north London career in style.
Some reports in Italy claim that left-back Nuno Tavares is on his way to Lazio on a permanent deal, with the Serie A side paying around £4 million for him after an impressive debut season at the club overall - even taking into account the Portuguese's injury problems over the second half of 24/25.
Albert Sambi Lokonga is also very likely to leave again this summer after spending this season on loan at Sevilla, and there are still questions surrounding the future of star midfielder Thomas Partey.
Arsenal-Partey
The Ghanaian recently entered talks with Arsenal over a new deal, indicating his willingness to stay, but it is far from a guarantee, with some sources believing that the £200,000-per-week midfielder would have to take a pay-cut (ESPN).
Arteta, for his part, is very keen on the 31-year-old extending his stay, after what has arguably been his finest season at Arsenal since joining from Atlético Madrid in 2020.
"Yeah, in regards to Thomas, consistency-wise, it’s been his best season," said Arteta when quizzed about Partey's future.
"I think the way he’s played, performed, his availability has been exceptional, and he’s a really important player for us."
Thomas Partey keen to leave Arsenal as Besiktas hold talks
Now, as per Turkish news website Fanatik, the midfield general is actually becoming more tempted by the exit door.
Partey-Gordon
They report that Partey is eager to leave Arsenal and start the next chapter of his career, and Besiktas are the first club to make an "official move" for him. The Süper Lig giants apparently held "positive" talks with Partey's main representative, and he is top of Besiktas' list of targets.
Depending on terms, the far east of Europe could be a tempting landing spot, and this isn't the first time that clubs from Turkey have been linked with a move for Partey, as he reportedly attracted interest from the Turks and Saudi Arabia last year.
Called a "big player" by Arteta, Partey has proved that time and time again throughout this term with some exceptional midfield displays, and his injury problems have now also become a thing of the past.
Losing such an experienced and proven member of the Arsenal squad would undoubtedly come as a blow, especially on a free, so it is unlikely that Andrea Berta will give up easily when it comes to tempting him with an extension.