3 Budget Arsenal Alternatives for the “Thomas Partey” Role

Despite all of their progress this summer, Arsenal still do not have a true No 6.

That’s the role many Arsenal fans thought Thomas Partey could fill – let’s be real, we still think that – but the Gunners are determined not to meet his release clause, as they believe it’s too high of a fee, especially in this summer’s market, where crazy deals are being done for about half the price they might have pre-pandemic.

Only a great fool would argue that Partey does not improve this Arsenal team. I am not a great fool, so clearly, I won’t be making that claim. But you all know I am not a great fool, so let’s stop the Princess Bride jokes, and continue with the article.

Arsenal need a player who can fill the holding midfield role, while still contributing heavily in the possession game. They’ll be the first outlet for the centre-backs, and the key to breaking the press, something the Gunners still struggle with. If we want to make a permanent return to a four-back formation, we must act.

And of course, that means splashing some cash, which exists in abundance at the Emirates. Or I should say, could exist in abundance at the Emirates, if it weren’t for the big cheese across the pond sealing his wallet shut with Gorilla Glue.

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So, it’s the same-old story again. Who can we buy for cheap-ish, that can have an immediate impact on our starting XI. It’s not an easy question to answer, but let’s set up the parameters for the player.

Defensively talented, skilled in possession, positionally disciplined, composed on the ball: those are the four major components of any midfielder in Mikel Arteta’s midfield, and are especially important for any holding midfielder we do sign. I’m also setting an age limit of 25, and a price cap of around £30m, assuming we offload Lucas Torreira for the currently touted price of £24m, and can scoop some extra money from the incumbent Emiliano Martinez sale, assuming we also pursue a cheap replacement for the Argentinean. As a result, players like Wilfried Ndidi will be out of reach.

And the final and most difficult component to meet is first-team influence. I’m looking for an immediate impact player, which rules out the likes of Marc Roca of RCD Espanyol, and the widely loved Ibrahim Sangaré of Toulouse. So let’s get into it.

3. Lisandro Martinez – £25m

Signed this past summer as a potential replacement for Matthias De Ligt, Lisandro Martinez cemented himself as a talented defensive midfielder at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Over 41 appearances, he played 22 at holding midfield, and 19 at centre-back, showing impressive versatility and flexibility.

On that basis alone, you might picture him a Declan-Rice style of player, skilled and talented at playing both positions, but primarily in a defensive capacity. And while it’s true, his defensive contributions are stellar, they don’t tell the whole story.

One of the reasons he made the move to holding midfield is because of his off-the-mark speed. The 22-year-old is rapid over short spaces, and he’s got the engine to be able to keep dashing for the full 90, a feat he achieved 35 out of the 41 matches he played last season.

His distribution is arguably his greatest asset, despite averaging 8.5 defensive contributions per game – he finished the season with 90% short-pass completion, and an average of 70 short passes and four accurate long balls per match. Those are exceptional statistics.

Pros of Signing Martinez

Physically, he’s a beast. Fast, technical, and with a surprising jumping range for a 5’10” player, he’s an all-action version of Lucas Torreira who also has a wicked passing range. He certainly doesn’t shy away from the physical side of the game, and he’s left-footed, something we could always use more in this team.

And he’s an attractive option in terms of technique as well. He’s an incisive dribbler, and is very skilled in breaking the press with the ball at his feet. He rarely panics, and tends to twist and turn to dislodge his mark, almost looking more like a winger at times. Arteta’s press-breaking is dependent on committing a man before you release the ball, something the player has no issue doing. His passing technique is solid too.

Cons of Signing Martinez

The physicality of the Premier League is always a big step up, and while Martinez has some serious cojones, he’s not quite as bulky as he needs to be to contend with English football. He’s certainly a durable player, but would need to step it up to a different level in England.

The other issue is that he can be rash in tackling. He loves a slide tackle, and while he typically wins them, he opens himself up for a lot of yellow cards. Furthermore, I’m not sure his 5’10” frame would be quite up to scratch, and while he’s a fair bit taller than Lucas Torreira, I can still see him encountering some problems.

2. Kalvin Phillips – £30m

Leeds’ longtime servant Kalvin Phillips is a key cog in the Marcelo Bielsa system, which should be your first hint that he’s seriously talented in possession. He averaged around 55 passes per match last season in the Championship, completing 85% of his short passes and 55% of his long passes.

And his numbers actually stuck to that track against Liverpool in the 4-3 stunner this weekend, completing 51 passes, 84% of his short passes, and 57% of his long passes. He’s also proven himself a bit of a through-ball specialist, playing line-breaking passes to Patrick Bamford with shocking consistency. If he can keep that up, his price is going to take a serious hike soon.

Out of the 37 matches he played for Leeds last season, he started all 37, playing 3250 minutes out of 3330. He’s rarely injured – something this Arsenal squad can always use more of – and as a holding midfielder, his defensive numbers are similarly stellar.

He’s a strong tackler, a very good shot-blocker, and is very strong in his aerial duels. But most importantly, he rarely loses his head. Although his nine yellow cards last season might seem to tell a different story, his composure at the base of the midfield is almost N’Golo Kante-esque.

Pros of Signing Phillips

He’s the full package of a holding midfielder, especially in a possession-based offense. He’s as strong on the ball as he is off it, and could make an instant impact in the Arsenal midfield. He’s generally a very complete player, and one we would do well to sign.

He put out the same goal/assist numbers as Dani Ceballos this past season, in a role where his offensive contributions are placed rather intentionally on the back burner in deference to defensive stability.

He’s also only 24, and his potential for growth – especially with Arsenal’s facilities and resources at his disposal – is frankly staggering. He has the potential to be a real world-beater, if given the chance to shine. I vote we give him that chance.

Cons of Signing Phillips

Speed is the biggest one. He’s relatively quick once he gets going, but he struggles to get off the mark well, which means that if he’s caught out of position, he’ll often have to foul to stop the opponent progressing. It’s a tactical choice of his, not one sourced from an angry place, but his positional discipline must be at top level in order for him to succeed in the league.

And that’s the other issue. He needs time to prove his consistency in English football, and as Leeds have just been promoted, they’ll be incredibly unwilling to let go of their star midfielder. £30m is what he’s worth, but don’t be surprised if Leeds’ valuation is far higher than that.

1. Denis Zakaria – £30-40m

He’s Swiss, he’s from Borussia Monchengladbach, and he’s a defensive midfielder. We already have one player that fits that description, and he’s finally starting to carve out his place. But trust me when I tell you, Denis Zakaria might just be the best player I can imagine for this Arsenal squad. Good enough that I just broke my own price limit. Deal with it.

Standing at an overpowering 6’3,” the Swiss is, quite honestly, the perfect player for the Arteta system. His role at Gladbach is to cover pockets of space behind the attackers, reclaim and recycle possession, drop between the centre-backs in defensive situations, and screen the back-four in a low-lying block out of possession. Sounds good? Get’s better.

He’s absolutely rapid – he man-marked Timo Werner for 90 minutes and came out smiling this past February for goodness sake – and he played as the deepest man in a three-man midfield, tasked with being the first line of distribution to break the press, and can do so with passing or dribbling.

He’s physically dominating, and suffocates rather than merely defending his opponents. His positional instincts are razor sharp, his tactical awareness the same, and he even chips in the occasional goal, scoring six in his last two seasons in Germany.

And just for some icing on the cake, he’s only 23, and is already averaging 88% passing per game for one of the most excited high-pressing sides in world football. And with an average of 6.5 defensive contributions per game to his name – that’s no mean feat in the Bundesliga – he’s an all-around stunner.

Pros of Signing Zakaria

Think I’ve already summed them up pretty well, no? He’s been an absolute world-beater for Gladbach this season, and despite a season-ending injury for the Die Fohlen, he’d be an excellent addition to the squad.

He’s everything and more that we’d need in a defensive midfielder, and he’s got a solid decade of playing time ahead of him.

Cons of Signing Zakaria

There are only two issues. The first is injury history, the second price. His value could possibly extend around £10m above the £30m we should be paying due to his ludicrous ability, but this is a buyer’s market. The rather unfounded links to Chelsea and Liverpool are what worry me, more because any move the Gunners make will immediately hit the news.

And while he doesn’t have a history of injuries, he’s not selected to return for Gladbach for the indefinite future, after a nasty knock to the knee turned out to be far worse than expected, eventually requiring surgery. Like Kieran Tierney, we’d be taking a punt on a player who wouldn’t be able to debut at first, and who would have to work his way back in. But considering the example of that is KT, I’m already sold.

We always knew finding a permanent replacement for Arsenal’s defensive midfield would be difficult. The club were getting somewhere with Lucas Torreira, but his deficiencies in possession declared him a bit-part player. But here are three defensive-minded players who would have an instant impact, and I imagine it won’t be too long before Arsenal come calling for at least one.