Thomas Partey is keen on joining Arsenal this summer but will not force through a transfer away from Atletico Madrid if the club are unable to meet his buyout clause.
Mikel Arteta has already completed the signing of Willian on a free transfer from Chelsea as well as the £27m signing of Brazilian central defender Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille.
Partey is also one of Arteta’s key targets for the summer window but the gunners have struggled in their talks with Atletico Madrid so far.
Atletico are adamant that Partey will only be allowed to leave if his £43m release clause is met, a figure which Arsenal are unable to match without offloading some of their players first.
Arsenal had initially offered Matteo Guendouzi plus £22.7m in exchange for Thomas Partey earlier this summer but Atletico turned down that bid.
According to Goal, Partey wants to join Arsenal but the midfielder is happy at Atletico Madrid and will not push for a move away from Spanish club.
The report also claims that Arsenal’s former head of international recruitment, Francis Cagigao, who was let go by the club just last month, had been urging the club’s hierarchy to move for Partey.
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Arsenal are already looking to offload several players before the start of the new campaign with Sead Kolasinac, Rob Holding, Lucas Torreira, Sokratis, Callum Chambers and Emiliano Martinez all in talks over possible exits.
Sead Kolasinac and Martinez, who impressed in goal after Bernd Leno’s injury last campaign, are both wanted by German club Schalke.
According to reports, Sokratis is on the verge of a £3.5m move to Napoli, while Fiorentina are keen on Torreira but want Arsenal to lower their £27m asking price.
