“I’d be looking at someone like him” – Paul Ince suggests Manchester United must consider surprise move for 30-year-old Arsenal star
Manchester United icon Paul Ince has urged his former club to make a move for Arsenal's Thomas Partey.
The Ghana international arrived at the Emirates from Atletico Madrid in 2020 after his £45 million release clause was met. He was particularly impressive in the first half of last season.
However, like most of his teammates, Partey's performance towards the business end of the campaign. Arsenal surrendered their lead at the top of the table to eventually lose the Premier League title.
The Ghana international's future with the Gunners is now up in the air. He has reportedly drawn interest from Juventus and clubs in the Saudi Pro League. According to Ince, the Red Devils should also throw their name in the hat.
The former Manchester United and Liverpool midfielder told Betway (h/t Metro):
"I like Franck Kessie at Barcelona. He’s not getting enough game time. There’s also talk about Thomas Partey leaving Arsenal [when asked if he wants a particular midfielder at United].
"You think about the first six months of the season, Partey was absolutely fantastic. Jorginho came in and, for some reason, he stopped getting games. That’s when Arsenal started losing and drawing games. I’d be looking at someone like him or Kessie."
Arsenal are apparently ready to sell the 30-year-old — who still has two years left on his contract — if a suitable offer arrives. They are also close to sealing a £105 million deal for West Ham United's defensive midfielder Declan Rice.
Franck Kessie, meanwhile, seems to be struggling at Barcelona for playing time since his free transfer from AC Milan last summer. The Ivory Coast international played just 973 minutes in La Liga last season, which were spread across 28 appearances.
Arsenal want Manchester United target playing in Germany - reports
According to BILD, Manchester United target and Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong is on Arsenal's radar this summer.
The Gunners are apparently in the market for an offensive right-back and are willing to shell out €40 million on a development-capable player. Their current options at right-back, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White, have played at centre-back in recent seasons.
This versatility comes at the cost of agility and mobility when playing in the right-back position. Frimpong is an able passer of the ball and has immense speed that can be a boon at both ends of the pitch.
The 22-year-old joined Bayer Leverkusen from Celtic in January 2021 and has since registered 11 goals and 20 assists in 90 games for the club. He still has two years left on his contract at the BayArena.