Simeone breaks silence on future of top Arsenal target Thomas Partey

Diego Simeone has broken his silence on the continued speculation linking Thomas Partey with a move away from Atletico Madrid.

The tough-tackling midfielder, who has been at Atletico since 2012, is being heavily linked with a move to Arsenal. Indeed, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is said to be a big fan and believes the player could be a big success in north London.

Speculation over the 27-year-old’s future has ramped up over the past few weeks, with Arsenal very much at the front of the queue for the player’s signature.

Partey’s agent confirmed last year that his client has a £44.5million release clause in his contract at the Spanish club, and now Simeone has spoken.

When asked about the Ghana international earlier on Tuesday, Simeone claimed that all the “best clubs” in Europe are looking at him.

“When he’s at his best level consistently, he’s so good that all the best teams in Europe are looking at him,” the Atletico boss said, as cited by football.london.

Partey has previously talked about his desire to play in the Premier League, when asked about a potential move away from Atletico.

“At the moment, I am happy at my club,” he told ESPN last summer. “But in football, you never know when and where you’ll be in the next day or year.

“The Premier League is a good league, it’s very competitive and has some of the best players in the world,” he added. “Hopefully, one day. I would like to play there.

“My agents are on it so I will leave everything for them. For me, I am happy playing football and I will continue to play where I am now until something comes up for consideration.”

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has revealed that a new contract for Bukayo Saka is a priority for Arsenal alongside resolving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future.

Speaking at Arsenal’s press conference on Monday the Spaniard made it clear that the futures of Saka and Aubameyang were crucial and at the top of his to-do list.

Saka, 18, has played as a makeshift left-back in his debut season, but Arteta is keen to move back into a more familiar attacking role.

The youngster has made 29 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and adding 10 assists. And such has been his impact that the likes of Liverpool, Man Utd and Borussia Dortmund have all been linked with his services.

Saka’s current deal is due to expire in 2021 and Arteta wants his future resolving. Read more…

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