Partey acquisition and Aubameyang's 3-year extension for the Gunners makes their transfer window a satisfying one
Mikel Arteta and his men might not have had their versatile playmaker, Mezut Ozil on their lineup regularly, but that hasn't stopped them from playing some promising football to shake off 2019's bad memories. In a season that saw them finish eighth, they are a rejuvenated side under Arteta, and by the end of the Premier League transfer window, they will be a satisfied lot despite not bagging Houssem Aouar.
In Thomas Partey, there surely will be a blast for the Gunners. The midfielder was their last-minute dash. Partey completed a medical on Monday after the Premier League side triggered his £45 million ($58M) release clause. Although he was on Arsenal's radar all summer, the finance aspect was a challenge as Atletico sat strong on their valuation.
Lucas Torreira finalizing a loan move to Atletico in a separate transaction and Matteo Guendouzi joining Hertha Berlin on loan made room for Partey to make the roster. According to ESPN, Partey has signed a four-year contract with an option to extend and his salary comes to approximately £250,000 ($324,687) per week. Partey comes in place of Aouar after Arsenal couldn't meet Lyon's asking price.
With Partey coming in, the side gets some solid strength at the back alongside Dani Ceballos and Willian. Ideally, they would have preferred a forward, but with a lock-on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for another three years, they will be satisfied heading into the season. Here's a quick look at the in and outs of the side:
IN: Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, £45m) Willian (Arsenal, free), Cedric Soares (Southampton), Pablo Mari (Flamengo, undisclosed), Gabriel Magalhaes (Lille, £27m), George Lewis (Larvik, free), Tim Akinola (Huddersfield, free), Salah-Eddine (Feyenoord, free), Jonathan Dizeyi (Spurs, free), Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid, loan), Alex Runarsson (Dijon).
OUT: Tobi Omole (Released), Dinos Mavropanos (Stuttgart, loan), Matthew Dennis (Released), Zech Medley (Gillingham, loan), Zak Swanson (Maastricht, loan), Jordi Osei-Tutu (Cardiff City, loan), Sam Greenwood (Leeds), Ben Sheaf (Coventry, loan), Trae Coyle (Gillingham, loan), Matt Smith (Swindon, loan), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Roma, free), Tyreece John-Jules (Doncaster, loan), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Daniel Ballard (Blackpool, loan), Matteo Guendouzi (Hertha Berlin, loan).
Arsenal has had a sketchy start to the season. They are placed fourth in the table and with three wins from four games. They opened with a win against Fulham and followed it up with another against West Ham. They couldn't get past the Reds going down 1-3 only to beat them in a penalty shootout the next game in the Europa League. They ended their matchday week with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.
It will be an interesting next few weeks for the Gunners as they take on Manchester City and Manchester United in their next Premier League games.
What are your thoughts on Arsenal's signings during the transfer window?