Mikel Arteta kept his cards hidden when asked whether Thomas Partey is playing for his Arsenal future. The Ghanaian's contract is set to expire at the end of June and a decision is yet to be made on whether he will be offered an extension.
Partey has started all six of Arsenal's Premier League matches this season, with the 31-year-old of particular importance to Arteta given the injuries suffered by fellow midfielders Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino.
Despite Partey's prominent role in north London, his extortionate £200,000-a-week wages have so far put Arsenal chiefs off the idea of offering him a new deal.
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Arteta skirted around the issue when asked, ahead of Saturday's meeting with Southampton, whether Partey's Arsenal future will be determined by his performances this season. "We’re playing to find our best version and be the most competitive team and win every single game," he said.
The Gunners boss did concede that Partey is a 'massive player' for him, adding: "He’s shown that week in week out. They way he came back post-holidays was probably the best condition that he’s been in. Now it’s about managing him and he’s done really well."
The injury woes which are putting a strain on Arsenal's midfield options have been eased by the recovery of summer signing Merino, who made his debut as a substitute against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
Odegaard's comeback would be even more impactful, but Arteta does not expect him to be available any time soon. "With Martin it is very difficult [to put a timeframe on it]," he said. "He is working hard and he is pushing."
Arteta added that Jurrien Timber, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all 'close' to full fitness, and a decision would be made this afternoon (Friday) on their availability to face Southampton. A final injury update from Arteta made it clear that Oleksandr Zinchenko is not expected back until after the international break.
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The Gunners have coped without their captain and playmaker, Odegaard, since the last international break, notching four wins and two draws in a congested six-game period. And Arteta is proud of how his players have managed to adapt.
"We had to be different," he said. "I think the impact that Martin has in everything that we do, it’s too difficult [to replace him] with one player. We tried to do it by playing in different spaces. Maybe it took a game or two but we found a different way."
