Arsenal could strike gold by replacing Thomas Partey with one player who has already schooled the Gunners.
Partey is expected to leave Arsenal this summer at the expiration of his contract.
Despite having a contract that expires in 2025, the midfielder’s departure is set to come as a surprise, as Mikel Arteta was desperate to keep him.
Arsenal offered Partey a new deal, but it’s understood that the 32-year-old’s wage demands differ from what the Gunners are willing to offer at this stage of his career.
Martin Zubimendi is coming in as Andrea Berta’s first signing as Arsenal’s sporting director, but the £51m arrival won’t be a lone Partey replacement.
After Jorginho’s exit, the Gunners need to replenish in midfield, and fortunately, there are plenty of options for Arsenal to consider to replace Partey.
One of which could be Brighton and Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba, who is well-known to Arsenal because of how he’s taunted the North Londoners in recent years.
When speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s commentary [04/01/2025] of Arsenal’s trip to the Amex to face Brighton, former Gunner Matthew Upson described Baleba’s performance as one of a player who had been ‘possessed’.
Few players in the 21-year-old’s position are as exciting in transition as Baleba, who could offer additional strength in the engine room in place of Partey.
Interestingly, FBref lists the Cameroonian as being statistically comparable to Partey, which could open Berta’s eyes to exploring a possible deal for the Premier League-proven talent.
There is, however, a problem as Brighton have slapped an absurd price tag on the midfielder, who was signed from LOSC Lille for £23m in 2023.
In two years, the Seagulls believe that Baleba’s market value has soared, as talkSPORT revealed that Brighton would demand a fee in the region of £100m for the Cameroon international.
Such would make a deal near-impossible for Arsenal to pull off, particularly as a striker will surely be prioritised this window.
As a Premier League rival, the idea of Brighton lowering their asking price to sell to Arsenal would be a surprise, but stranger things have happened in football.
Arsenal need to sufficiently replace Partey, and Baleba could certainly be the ideal successor to the Ghanaian if Berta deems a move to be feasible.
