Arsenal are intensifying their interest in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey this summer, according to David Ornstein.

Writing in The Athletic, David Ornstein reports that Arsenal are intensifying their interest in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey. Sources believe Partey would welcome a move to North London, whilst Arsenal hold a long-standing interest in him.

It’s not going to be straightforward, as Partey has a €50m release clause. Arsenal are hoping to negotiate a lower figure, understandably so in the current financial situation.

To be honest, right now it’s mainly comforting to get some confirmation of Arsenal’s interest from a reliable source. There’s still clearly a long way to go, but we’re not working entirely from unknown sources around Europe and Ghana anymore, at least.

Whatever happens next, the interest in Partey is clearly genuine. At the very least, that tells us Arsenal know their midfield needs work and are willing to invest in it.

Partey is a player worth that investment. With 41 appearances already for Atletico this season, he’s a crucial part of their side. He performed fantastically well both home and away against Liverpool in the Champions League last-16, and he’d definitely add a strong defensive presence in front of the Arsenal back-line.

According to The AFC Bell, Arsenal representatives are showing cautious optimism about completing a deal. However, there’s still little clarity about the formula of the deal or its total cost. Work to do, but clearly things are slowly going in the right direction.