Atlético Madrid Look to Hijack Barcelona, PSG Pursuit of Arsenal Veteran This Summer | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain are loaded with midfield talent, but there’s no getting around their lack of size. Fabian Ruiz is the tallest of the group at 6-foot-2 (1.89m), and after that, the height drops off noticeably.

Senny Mayulu adds a bit of length at 6 feet (1.83m), but beyond the 18-year-old, PSG don’t have much in the way of taller midfield options. That could push the club to target a bigger presence in the summer—someone who fits seamlessly into Luis Enrique’s system without sacrificing the team’s fluid style.

Another route they might explore is bringing in an experienced veteran to balance out the young midfield core they’ve assembled in recent windows.

With that in mind, Arsenal insider Charles Watts recently reported that the Gunners haven’t started contract talks with Thomas Partey, whose deal runs out this summer. Barcelona, Juventus, and PSG are all said to be keeping a close eye on the situation.

What’s the latest on Thomas Partey?

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According to MARCA, Atlético Madrid are looking to bring back Partey on a free transfer this summer. The Ghanaian came up through the Spanish club’s youth system and played eight years for the first team before leaving in 2020 to join the Gunners.

TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey reports that while Arsenal still value Thomas Partey, the financial side of a potential new contract could make an extension tough to pull off.

Arsenal are expected to be busy this summer, but locking Partey into a high-priced deal doesn’t appear to be part of the plan—especially with the midfielder no longer viewed as a regular starter.

Partey is reportedly open to a return to LaLiga, with Barcelona emerging as his preferred destination. His current deal is set to expire at the end of the season, and according to Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish club have shown interest.

Barcelona see Partey as a potential low-cost addition due to his contract situation, but a move isn’t straightforward. With Marc Casadó, Marc Bernal and Frenkie de Jong already covering similar roles, there’s no obvious gap in the squad right now.