Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Thomas Partey unhappy at Emirates; Gunners eyeing Reading duo, and more - September 22, 2023
Arsenal lock horns with bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates on Sunday (September 24) in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta's team are coming off wins in six of their seven games across competitions this season.
Meanwhile, midifelder Thomas Partey is unsettled with the Gunners. Elsewhere, the north London side are interested in two Reading players. On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on September 22, 2023:
Thomas Partey unhappy at Emirates
Thomas Partey is least pleased after being used as a right-back this season at Arsenal, according to Calciomercato.
The Ghanaian midfielder is a formidable figure in the middle of the park but has seen his stock at the Emirates dwindle following the arrival of Declan Rice this summer. The Englishman has taken over Arteta’s midfield, so the Spanish manager has deployed Partey in an unorthodox full-back role.
However, the Ghanaian is unhappy with the situation and has informed the Gunners about the sme. Unfortunately, with Rice yet to put a foot wrong since arriving from West Ham United, Partey is likely to struggle reclaiming his position in midfield.
The situation has alerted Juventus, who were linked with Partey this summer, so a move in January cannot be ruled out at the moment.
Arsenal eyeing Reading duo
Arsenal are interested in Caylan Vickers and Tyler Bindon, according to The Daily Express.
The duo have been earning rave reviews with their performances for Reading after becoming first-team regulars this season. Arteta has shown an affinity towards young talents during his tenure at the Emirates and has now set his sights on the two teenagers.
Vickers is a young forward who has emerged as one of the most promising talents of the Championship. Bindon, meanwhile, has been equally effective for Reading in defence.
The Gunners have the two players in mind ahead of the winter transfer window. However, Vickers and Bindon are likely to be targeted with the future in mind, as they're seemingly not ready for the Premier League yet.
Mikel Arteta opens up on Champions League managerial debut
Mikel Arteta has admitted that he got emotional on his managerial debut in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
The Spanish manager guided Arsenal back to the premier European club competition by finishing second in the Premier League last season. Arteta marked the occasion by guiding the Gunners to a 4-0 home win over PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.
Speaking to the club’s website after the win, the Spaniard couldn’t contain his excitement:
"I’m really happy. It was really emotional just listening to the music and the atmosphere that we had in the stadium; it was great. It is a good memory for the first game to win 4-0 and the way we played. I’m really happy."
Arteta also praised his team for being efficient against a well-drilled PSV side.
“I could sense over the past 48 hours and the way (the players) were, the level of attention that they wanted, how they were competing like they were up for the fight.
"But then you have to do it against a really good side that hasn’t lost a single game, and today we won because we were really efficient in both boxes," said Arteta.
He continued:
“We had some transition moments to defend after their reply, and we did that really, really well, and we were really clinical. We were really composed on the ball to pick the right player, the right pass, the right space, and that was the difference in the game.”
The Gunners will hope for a deep run in their first Champions League campaign in seven seasons.