Thomas Partey might leave Arsenal as a free agent at the end of his contract in June 2025. This follows a contract stalemate, first exclusively reported by Nigerian journalist Buchi Laba, who revealed that Partey had requested a salary increase from Arsenal.
However, Arsenal opted not to increase his salary, instead offering him the same £200,000-per-week deal. According to sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, Partey is now likely to leave Arsenal as a free agent.
Partey, who joined Arsenal in 2020 from Atlético Madrid after the club triggered his £45 million release clause, has not quite earned the tag "Mr. Reliable." He has suffered a string of recurring non-contact muscle and hamstring injuries, often sidelining him at crucial moments when he is needed most in midfield.
Moreover, even when fit, the defensive midfielder has shown inconsistency in performance, prompting Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta to openly discuss his injury problems. At times, Partey’s decision-making on the pitch has also been questionable. For instance, he received a yellow card in the dying minutes of the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid, which ruled him out of the first leg of the semifinal against PSG—a match Arsenal lost 1–0. His absence sparked fan criticism, with many questioning the judgment that led to the card.
However, upon his return in the second leg, he showed flashes of brilliance, even though Arsenal ultimately did not advance.
Despite these issues, the 32-year-old was recently named Ghana Footballer of the Year for the third consecutive time and currently has no shortage of offers. He is expected to take his time in choosing his next destination, as his departure from Arsenal now appears very likely. Of course there are mixed reactions from Arsenal fans on loosing him with some saying he should be kept especially as Arsenal always have problems with signing replacements. Others however have questioned the reason why someone who is past his 30s and has missed games should be offered a wage increase.
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