Arsenal set to sell “unbelievable” star and could sign £100m upgrade

On the final day of the Premier League season Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard and manager Mikel Arteta were both pretty insistent that this was only the beginning for this project.

Yes, Arsenal may well be without a trophy for a good few years now but the progression on the field and off it has been remarkable.

Arteta has steered the Gunners to consecutive title challenges, with the 2023/24 campaign proving to be particularly impressive.

They won 28 games, their most in a single Premier League season so how do they begin to bridge that two-point gap to Manchester City?

Well, they need to raise the floor of the squad.

Arsenal’s summer transfer plans

What Edu and Co achieve behind the scenes this summer remains to be seen but one of the biggest priorities should be shifting dead wood from the squad.

That could mean an exit for a certain Thomas Partey. The midfielder has just a year left on his current deal at the Emirates and his wretched injury history suggests he’s not someone to rely on.

Speaking about the Ghainain’s future in London, Fabrizio Romano recently stated: “They have several players lined up. There is a good chance they will bring in a new midfielder, Thomas [Partey] will leave, Jorginho has extended.”

So who could replace him? Romano continued: “There are several players in the list. One player they’ve always appreciated is Douglas Luiz, but negotiating with Villa is never easy.”

With Unai Emery’s men now a Champions League outfit, trying to prise anyone away from Villa Park will be particularly troublesome, especially when Luiz is rumoured to possess a £100m asking price.

How Douglas Luiz compares to Thomas Partey

Partey had a rather bizarre campaign in north London this time out. Starting the season as a right-back – one of Arteta’s strangest decisions yet – he quickly picked up an injury and he didn’t seem achieve consistent minutes again until the run-in.

That said, he was clearly a player that the manager trusted. The £200k-per-week star started all of the last five league games, including the massive clash with Spurs on the road. There is a reason Yaya Toure described him as “unbelievable.”

Were his performances always ‘unbelievable’, though? Perhaps not. Against Manchester United, in particular, he was clumsy in possession and fortunate not to give away a penalty. Versus Everton on the final day Partey was constantly bypassed by a central trio of Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

When he signed from Atletico Madrid this was an exciting acquisition, one which in truth, has improved the squad.

Yet, with progress as a club, comes the requirement for upgrades. That’s precisely what Luiz would be.

Hailed as a “box-crashing 8” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Villa star has been tracked by Arsenal for a while. They wanted him in 2022, only to be met by a series of rejected bids before he penned new terms in the Midlands.

They will now have to pay a premium but it could be worth it. After all, he looks like the perfect replacement for a certain Granit Xhaka, and the most ideal of midfielders to partner Declan Rice and Odegaard. He’s a lot more dangerous in the final third than Partey, possesses immense composure and has that typical Brazilian flair. What’s not to like?

So, how do the numbers stack up? Well, it’s actually closer than you’d imagine, although the former Manchester City gem does come out on top in a number of areas.

Luiz would be a substantial upgrade when it comes to contributing in the final third but Partey is still the better passer, breaking lines with ease and completing more per 90 minutes. That said, it’s the Brazilian who’s more likely to make something happen with his passing, hence a greater number of key passes.

It’s pretty close defensively. Arsenal had the best defensive record in the division this term but Luiz still attempted more tackles and impressively, won a higher % of his aerial battles.

Pivotally, however, is the manoeuvrability. Partey looked pretty sluggish towards the end of the campaign but the Villa star is someone who can get about with great purpose.

After the addition of £105m Rice last summer, another hefty signing in the middle of the park may not be totally necessary but Luiz is certainly an upgrade on the partners the club’s record signing has had so far.