Arsenal: Why are we already talking Thomas Partey alternatives?

Arsenal has been so heavily linked to Thomas Partey for practically ever, but now that they can finally get him, they’re exploring alternatives? Why?

For as long as I can remember, Arsenal has been tied to Thomas Partey. And when his completely reasonable release clause came to light—just £45m—it became a sure thing. There was nothing in the way of us signing our dream target.

Even more so when Partey turned down Atletico Madrid’s offer for an extension that would have raised his release clause to around £100m. Clearly Partey had a move on the mind and seeing as how the Gunners were so heavily linked that no one else even seems linked at all. Just like with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all those years ago.

But less than a week into the transfer window being opened, Arsenal are supposedly already exploring alternatives to Thomas Partey. Which, to me, is far worse news than it’s being reported as. Sure, the club is still “optimistic” about Partey, but they should be even more than that.

I don’t get why Partey isn’t already a done deal. Why it wasn’t locked up before the transfer window opened. Maybe those expectations are too high given that we have no European football next year, but that’s something we should have known, right?

Thus far, we’ve seen the Gunners rebuffed on two offers for Thomas Partey, one that involved swapping Matteo Guendouzi and paying £22.5m, which honestly doesn’t sound like that good of an idea to Arsenal. I don’t know why Atletico didn’t take it.

Still, having a second offer rebuffed felt more like sneaking up on the full deal that we were inevitably going to pay. Again, £45m is a perfectly reasonable price to pay for Partey. He’s worth far more than that.

I thought that this was all part of the sure process, but now that we’re exploring alternatives, my confidence has been shaken. If Arsenal can’t buck up and spend the full amount on Partey—a ser price, for crying out loud—then what the hell is going on? One sale, even a minor sale, and it should give us the spare funds to afford him.

We have no greater need, no better solution. He has been the top priority for months, probably even years. This isn’t something where we should just find an alternative. If Partey didn’t want to come, we should know that already.