Arsenal have gone from strength to strength over the past several years, and though Mikel Arteta has not added to the FA Cup trophy he clinched in his first full term with the Gunners – a season he joined in December – the progress has been astounding.
The past two seasons in the Premier League have ended in late-stage misery as the Manchester City machine churns on, collecting its fourth successive league title in May, but there’s growing optimism around north London that this could be the year.
While injury should never be wished upon a professional athlete, the season-ending blow suffered by Rodri last month does open up a new world of possibility for competitors like Arsenal and Liverpool. He’s that good, and his absence will be felt keenly.
Of course, Arsenal haven’t fallen that far short in recent years, and with a youthful crop now blooming into world-class quality, it’s starting to feel like it might, maybe, be the year.
Arsenal's new generation
Arteta, still only 42, is probably the finest young manager in the world at the moment, but just like his Arsenal team, in its sixth season with the Spaniard at the helm, he’s maturing.
The likes of Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, two of the finest players in the world in their respective positions, are both now 23 but have spent recent years developing their nascent ability and directing it toward something that is capable of dethroning the all-conquering machine that is Man City.
Saka, for example, has produced breathtaking results across the opening months of the 2024/25 term, posting three goals and seven assists across ten matches in all competitions. Saliba, meanwhile, continues to rival Virgil van Dijk as the finest centre-back in English football, exceptionally winning 71% of his ground duels in the Premier League so far, as per Sofascore.
2024/25
25.5
14th
2023/24
25.1
17th
2022/23
24.6
20th=
2021/22
24.4
20th
2020/21
25.7
16th
2019/20
25.1
19th
As you can see, Arsenal’s average age in the top flight has been creeping upward over the past four seasons, which is principally down to the fine balance that Arteta has crafted. A core clutch, including Saka and Saliba, have started to float away from youthful potential and into the conversation for the best players that Europe has to offer. They are high and central in such debates, in fact.
Arsenal are on the up indeed. But there’s still progress to be had. Every department of Arteta’s squad is packed with quality, but one player who must be ditched in 2025 has got to be Thomas Partey, with the Ghana international failing to live up to the lofty price tag.
The 31-year-old is part of the reason that the Emirates side’s average age has bobbed up, and while this isn’t a flaw in itself, it’s indicative of the midfielder’s dwindling performance level that doesn’t justify the financials.
Thomas Partey's Arsenal career in numbers
It was October 2020, and Arsenal purchased Partey from La Liga giants Atletico Madrid after activating the player’s £45m release clause. He’s since chalked up 124 appearances, having been frequently disrupted by injuries, albeit enjoying a renaissance this year, starting all seven Premier League matches so far.
For a player who was supposed to revolutionise the centre of the park, he’s failed to live up to the price tag and the expectations. Despite this, of course, the Gunners have skyrocketed toward elite status on the continent, but as Arterta’s influence has waxed, so too has the dynamo’s role been diminished.
At his best, the occasional defender brings strength and steel to the team, with an imposing physicality that still, to this day, Arsenal don’t have in surplus. Declan Rice is an elite athletic, sweeping up, controlling, driving – a regular force of nature. He’s not, however, a ‘defensive’ midfielder, and needs a partner like Partey to hit the height of his skill.
2024/25
7 (7)
0
0
2023/24
14 (9)
0
0
2022/23
33 (28)
3
0
2021/22
24 (23)
2
1
2020/21
24 (18)
0
1
But alas, Arsenal must turn their gaze elsewhere, for Partey is entering the twilit stage of his career in the English capital.
Why Arteta must axe Thomas Partey
This is a case of ‘what if?’ since Partey is clearly an exceptional talent. The sticking point loops back to his injury record, precluding his chances of reaching his zenith.
Football.london suggested before the summer transfer window that Partey would be one of the players that sporting director Edu and Arteta would seek to ship on, looking to claim some cashback before his contract expires, as it is due to at the end of the season.
Injuries have foiled much of the fluency that Partey’s natural skillset suggests can be offered, but for such a lofty price tag and the weight of expectation that followed the Ghanaian from Atletico Madrid, there’s a rueful tinge to the whole thing for sure.
Ah, and that’s without even addressing the salary situation. As you can see above, Partey is one of Arsenal’s highest earners, pocketing £200k-per-week.
Partey has played a part for Arsenal over the years and can’t quite be branded a flop, but he’s hardly proving himself to be a man whose contract is worth renewing – and given that he’s taking home more than superstars Saka and Saliba, it’s probably time to go.
Given the direction that Arsenal are heading in, it’s only right that Partey is cut loose in 2025. He’s played a part but Arteta is looking to craft a team that is capable of competing and winning the biggest prizes in football.
Expect attention to the midfield next year, with an exciting upgrade made on Partey, partnering Rice and pushing the club ever closer to the top position on the continent.
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