31 October 2023 , 13:38
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted Thomas Partey's injury record is a "big concern" after it emerged that the midfielder could be out until December.
Partey, 30, suffered a fresh setback ahead of the Gunners' trip to face Sevilla in the Champions League last Tuesday. The Ghana international, who'd previously been starting fewer games due to the £105million arrival of Declan Rice, hasn't featured since coming on as a late substitute during Arsenal's statement-like 1-0 victory over title rivals Manchester City earlier this month.
ESPN claims there are fears within the club that Partey, reported to be dissatisfied with his diminished role this season, could miss the whole of November and only return ahead of the festive period. Despite missing just six games due to injury over five years at former club Atletico Madrid, the 30-year-old midfield destroyer - who was linked with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia over the summer - has continually been sidelined since moving to North London in 2020.
His latest muscular issue will be his ninth layoff in three years, already missing more than 50 games for club and country. Arteta is, therefore, unable to guarantee his availability and said when asked about the Ghanaian's poor fitness record: "He is a big concern because when Thomas is fit and available and he's been part of the team, we have seen what the results and the impact that he has on the team.
"This season we have more protection, especially for that reason as well because we know in the past two seasons what has happened and the impact that it had on the team so we had to address that. Now it's happened and it happens in football. I'm so sorry for him because I think he's doing every single thing that he can do right to be there, he was gutted.
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Thomas Partey was in training following the international break but then suffered another setback (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)"We are all for him, he needs to lift himself up again with our support and go again because he is a player that is critical for us. I think that he will be out for weeks, I don't know how long but he's got another appointment today and we will see more after that."
Arsenal travel to West Ham on Wednesday for a Carabao Cup fourth-round clash, having gone unbeaten in domestic football so far this season. Arteta has a number of options to cover for Partey in midfield, with Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny pushing for starts.