Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal star ‘will leave’ imminently as Mikel Arteta plots major Aston Villa raid

Arsenal are in for a busy summer as they look to build on a season that saw them bravely battle Manchester City for the Premier League title.

The Gunners ultimately missed out on top spot by two points – after losing out by five in 2022/23 – and Mikel Arteta knows he has to bolster his squad.

That will mean that several players will leave Arsenal this summer to make room for new additions and one of those heavily linked with an exit is Thomas Partey.

The 30-year-old midfielder has struggled with injuries this season and with his contract set to expire in 12 months, the Gunners are actively looking for a buyer.

Partey made a total of 16 appearances for Arsenal this term and with Declan Rice now Arteta’s top midfielder he’s ready to sanction the Ghanaian’s departure.

Fenerbahce and Barcelona are interested in signing Partey this summer and are poised to launch an offer when the window opens.

There are other suitors waiting in the wings and Arsenal’s sporting director has already identified his ideal replacement for the experienced centre-mid.

Arsenal plot Aston Villa raid
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Arsenal will sell Partey in the coming weeks and Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz is one player they’re looking at to fill the void.

“There are several players in the list. One player they’ve always appreciated is Douglas Luiz, but negotiating with Villa is never easy.

“They have several players lined up. There is a good chance they will bring in a new midfielder, Thomas will leave, Jorginho has extended,” Romano said.

Luiz has indeed been on Arsenal’s radar for some time and he has played a big role in Aston Villa‘s success since Unai Emery’s arrival at the club.

The 26-year-old made 53 appearances in all competitions for Villa this term and scored an impressive 10 goals and made 10 assists in the process.