Speaking to the JD Football YouTube channel this week, Fabrizio Romano suggested Arsenal are likely to have some turnover in the midfield this summer.
“Thomas [Partey] will leave, Jorginho has extended,” Romano said. “There are several players they have on the list (as potential replacements).
“For example, a player they always appreciated is Douglas Luiz last summer, but you know negotiations with Villa is never that easy. So let’s see what’s going to happen there.
“They have several players lined up, so I think there is a good chance they will bring in a midfielder.”
Simon Collings recently reported for The Standard that Partey is wanted by clubs in Saudi Arabia, with just a year left on his Arsenal contract this summer.
That followed a similar report from Fabrizio Romano, who had claimed there was preliminary interest in both Partey and Gabriel Jesus.
Romano wrote that neither Jesus nor Partey were talking to any Saudi Arabian clubs as it stands, with no proper negotiations ongoing, but suggested that there is interest.
It seems he now expects Partey to leave north London, whether that’s to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere.
At the same time, it’s evidently not completely clear who Arsenal plan to bring in as a replacement.
Widespread reports have repeatedly mentioned midfield as an area for recruitment this summer, but no one player’s case appears to be particularly advanced just yet.
Jorginho’s contract extension is good news on that front, even if the contract length isn’t as much as expected, as it allows Arsenal to be a bit more patient and flexible in the market.