Arsenal aren’t going to pay the €50m release clause for Thomas Partey, but they do have two free transfer signings ready for the summer, according to a report.

Spanish journalist Kike Marin claims it isn’t true that Arsenal are going to pay Atletico Madrid the Thomas Partey release clause, despite recent reports. In fact, they aren’t currently planning to make an offer at all.

Instead, the reports of Arsenal interest come from Partey’s agency offering him out. That’s apparently why the representatives were so keen to downplay talk of contact between the two. They don’t want Atletico getting the impression there’s tapping-up going on.

Marin adds that Arsenal already have two signings ready for this summer, both for players who will be out of contract. He doesn’t give any hints about the players in question.

Most likely, he’s talking about two of Ryan Fraser, Willian and Layvin Kurzawa. All three are available for free and regularly linked with a move to Arsenal.

Marin has been fairly hit and miss in recent transfer windows. Sadly, his assessment is probably a pretty good guess on this occasion, given the financial limitations this summer.

It’s hard to see the Gunners going for someone like Partey unless they make the Champions League. But we can dream.