Can Arsenal rely on Thomas Partey & Kieran Tierney anymore?

Since making their moves to Arsenal, Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney have been stand-out performers who – when fit – are guaranteed starters. But, to the frustration of Arsenal fans, the pair have also persistently been hampered by injuries.

Neither player since signing has managed to feature in 30 games in a Premier League season, with Tierney’s highest being 27. Partey, meanwhile, has finished two consecutive seasons with 24 appearances.

A player does not decide when to get injured and is not at fault for their injury problems. It does, however, mean the team is seriously affected by their absences and their woes beg the question of whether the club can continue to rely on them going forward.

Arsenal suffered gravely at the end of last season when Partey and Tierney were struck down by their injuries. Their deputies were unable to match their quality and importance to the team. Nuno Tavares floundered after stepping in for Tierney, while Sambi Lokonga and Mohamed Elneny failed to fill Partey’s big boots.

Arteta will need to strengthen the defensive midfield and left-back positions, but should Arsenal recruit worthy understudies or invest heavily in top players who should start?

Can Arsenal rely on injury-prone duo Kieran Tierney & Thomas Partey?

The club is not blessed with the seemingly unending stream of cash that teams like Manchester City and Chelsea have been showered with in the past, meaning purchases have to be a necessity and not exceedingly overpriced.

The question that presents is: are top-quality stand-ins necessary? Arsenal fans would argue, after the unravelling towards the end of the season, they are very much necessary.

Mikel Arteta seems to agree as well. According to reliable reports, Arsenal are strongly pursuing Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez, a left-football central defender who can cover adequately at left-back. Tavares’ situation remains unclear, but the interest in Martinez suggests Arteta feels the last summer signing has not lived up to expectations.

In midfield, the acquisition of Fabio Vieira indicates the manager viewed the area in need of strengthening. But Vieira and Youri Tielemans, who Arsenal are allegedly seeking, are not replacements for Partey. They are more attacking than the Ghanaian and will compete for roles as left or right-sided #8s in Arteta’s midfield three. Elneny’s contract extension may mean Arteta views him as Partey’s deputy. But as we saw in the final few games, he is far below the standard if the club wants to progress.

The conundrum for the club is what positions are prioritised for reinforcements. Arteta and Edu will determine that, and that may depend on the club’s capacity to generate revenue from unwanted players like Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.