Izuchukwu OkosiArsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is primed to remain at the club ahead of the 2023/2024 Premier League season despite the deluge of interests from Saudi Arabian and Italian clubs.
Partey has been linked to some Saudi clubs and also Juventus in the Serie A – and Manchester United in the Premier League.
However in his pre match press conference ahead of pre season friendly against Manchester United in Florida, USA, Arteta informed the media that he has held talks with the Ghanaian international who is ready to continue his career at the club.
“Without a question of a doubt. Thomas is a super important player for us and for me. I want him to be part of the team”.
“No (I don’t expect him to leave). Every time I spoke to him his will is to stay with us. For me there’s nothing there at all”.
Speaking on whether Partey can play with new record British signing, Declan Rice, Arteta said: “Yeah. They can play together.
“That was in my plans. If you want to improve the squad you need players that can improve the squad and players that can play together.”
On further incomings after the acquisitions of the trio of Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, Arteta gave hope of the club doing more business:
“There will be movement still. There will be a lot of ins and outs. It’s still very early. Obviously, the last week has been a bit quiet. If we can try and improve the team we’ll do so. But we don’t want to get any weaker.”
The Gunners will play against Premier League rivals, Manchester United on Saturday at 10pm local time in their second pre season game in the United States.
United was also linked with an interest for 30-year-old Partey albeit it is unlikely that Arteta will sanction the sale of one of his key players to a direct rival.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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