Arsenal Football Club are facing a potential midfield crisis with the contract extension of key player Thomas Partey hanging in the balance and he could leave the team as a free agent next summer, according to a new report from the Mirror. Thomas Partey, who is currently earning over £200,000 a week, is entering the final six months of his contract and is due to expire in the summer of 2024. Under FIFA rules, he will have the right to freely negotiate transfers with foreign clubs from January next year. However, Arsenal have yet to show interest in renewing his contract, which certainly increases the likelihood of the player leaving the club.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are also facing contract problems with another midfielder, Jorginho, whose contract will also expire next June. This means that Arsenal could lose two important midfielders before the start of the 2025-26 season, which will undoubtedly have a major impact on the team's squad depth and tactical setup. Thomas Partey has been one of the team's highest earners since joining Arsenal in 2020, but Arsenal are wary of whether they should give him another lucrative contract due to his long injury-plagued career and difficulties in maintaining a consistent playing rate.
However, Thomas Partey himself has never actively pushed for a move away from Arsenal, despite being seen as a possible departure in the last few transfer windows. His performances in the midfield continue to be outstanding, which will undoubtedly make Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu start to reconsider his future. Arsenal need to make a quick decision in the upcoming time to avoid being stuck with a shortage of midfielders in the upcoming season.
