Mikel Arteta has identified the perfect replacement for Thomas Partey and wants Arsenal to sign him from Real Madrid, according to a Spanish report, as Xabi Alonso’s stance on selling the midfielder is revealed.
The 2024/25 campaign was hugely disappointing for Arsenal. Tipped to finally win the Premier League title under manager Arteta, the Gunners failed to last the distance in the race, with Liverpool eventually becoming the champions of England with relative ease. Although Arsenal did well to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, beating Madrid on the way, they went out meekly to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal, though, are determined to bounce back and are keen on making top additions to their squad in the summer transfer window, including a striker.
Martin Zubimendi is set to be the first summer signing for Arsenal, with the midfielder in London to complete formalities ahead of his move from Real Sociedad.
Defensa Central, though, has reported that Arsenal are also targeting Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.
The report has noted that Arsenal manager Arteta wants Camavinga as a potential replacement for Partey.
Trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano reported on X on Thursday that “negotiations between Arsenal and Thomas Partey over new deal are not advancing”, adding that there are “concrete chances” that he will leave as a free agent.
Defensa Central has claimed that ‘Arteta is very interested in Camavinga’, with Arsenal thinking that Madrid would sell the 22-year-old French midfielder for €50million (£42.6m, $57.6m).
Camavinga has been on the books of Madrid since 2021 and has been hugely successful.
The midfielder, who had injury problems last season, has won LaLiga twice and the Champions League on two occasions with Madrid so far in his career.
Defensa Central has reported that Madrid do not want to sell Camavinga to Arsenal in the summer transfer window.
Los Blancos reportedly consider the France international midfielder as one of the pillars in their project and are not interested in cashing in on him this summer.
The 22-year-old has not reached his peak yet and has the potential to be the best in the world in his position.
Madrid believe that under Alonso, Camavinga will improve positionally and will not have to exert himself physically as much as he had to under Carlo Ancelotti.
Defensa Central has stated that Alonso is ‘counting on’ Camavinga and ‘believes he can be very important throughout this season’.
Alonso does not want Madrid to sell Camavinga, and Los Blancos themselves do not want to part ways with the 2022 World Cup runner-up with France.
The report has described the midfielder as ‘a fairly anarchic player who likes to move all over the midfield’, adding that the Madrid coaching staff will be working on his positioning as well as making him use his right foot more because he is very left-footed.
It is also interesting that Arsenal reportedly want Camavinga despite the imminent arrival of Zubimendi at the Emirates Stadium.
With Declan Rice already a key figure in the Arsenal midfield and Zubimendi set to play alongside him in the middle of the park, Arteta would have to tweak his system to accommodate Camavinga in the line-up, given that Norwegian playmaker Martin Odegaard is one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Camavinga could also be an option for Arsenal at left-back, with Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko set to leave and Myles Lewis-Skelly still only 18.
Although the Frenchman’s preferred position is in midfield, he did well at left-back when he was played in that role by Ancelotti.
