Journalist surprised £30m Arsenal star hasn’t gone to US after speaking to someone close to him

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Journalist Charles Watts has admitted that he was expecting Thomas Partey to be named in the Arsenal squad for their pre-season tour to the US after speaking to someone close to the midfielder.

Watts was speaking on his YouTube channel after the Ghanaian was left out of the initial group that has travelled across the Atlantic, with Arsenal confirming that he is expected to link up with the squad next week.

Of course, Thomas Partey is one of the players who has been heavily linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer. Reports from The Sun had previously suggested that Mikel Arteta’s side want £30 million for Partey amid interest from Saudi Arabia.

Watts expected Partey to be in initial Arsenal squad for US tour

So his omission from the pre-season squad inevitably piqued the attention of Gunners supporters. Intriguingly, while Arsenal have hinted that Partey is not fully fit just yet, Watts admitted that the 30-year-old’s absence took him by a surprise.

“This was quite interesting when he wasn’t named in the squad because given everything that’s going on around the Saudi league,” he told his YouTube channel.

“I was expecting him to go. I thought yesterday, having spoken to someone quite close to Thomas Partey in the morning, that he was going to be travelling. But obviously, he hasn’t. But like Smith Rowe, Arsenal have said that he is going to link up with the squad next week.”

You get the feeling that Mikel Arteta would be very happy if Partey was in his ranks for the new season – but he also would be able to see the positive side if he is sold.

Ultimately, Arsenal have been incredibly busy in this window. And they have spent a lot of money. So if they want to bring in further signings, they are surely going to need to sell a few players too.

Partey is outstanding when he is fully fit and playing well. But relying on him to stay fit has been difficult. And there are arguably no guarantees that he will start regularly if he stays next season.

And if a club makes a substantial bid, Arsenal may feel that the offer is simply too good to turn down.