Arsenal are open to selling Lucas Torreira, the midfielder open to leaving, and Arsenal have identified a player who ‘wouldn’t mind’ joining.

FLORENCE, ITALY - DECEMBER 20: Amadou Diawara of AS Roma reacts during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and AS Roma at Stadio Artemio Franchi on December 22, 2019 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
FLORENCE, ITALY – DECEMBER 20: Amadou Diawara of AS Roma reacts during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and AS Roma at Stadio Artemio Franchi on December 22, 2019 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Arsenal want Thomas Partey and, if we are to believe Partey’s father, the player wants to come to Arsenal.

That was all going on before we learned that Lucas Toreira is up for sale and that he wouldn’t actually mind leaving to get regular playing time. Only Joe Willock made more performances from the bench than the Uruguayan this season.

According to Tuttomercatoweb.com Arsenal were looking at Roma’s Amadou Diawara at the start of August as a potential replacement and this isn’t the first time he’s been linked with Arsenal.

He was also said to be Arsenal’s backup plan if they fail to land Partey. TMW even suggest Arsenal have ‘tested the waters’ for the player.

Now, it seems they’re back again with Gazetta dello Sport reporting that the club are ‘very interested’ in the player who would cost around €25m + bonuses and ‘wouldn’t say no’ to a move to Arsenal even though he would prefer to stay in Italy.

If Arsenal can’t get Diawara, they are apparently looking at Danilo Pereira again. At least, that was the story a few weeks ago as we piled backups on top of backups.

Atletico Madrid's Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey (L) celebrates with Atletico Madrid's Argentine forward Angel Correa after scoring during the Spanish league football match between Valencia CF and Club Atletico de Madrid at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on February 14, 2020. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)
Atletico Madrid’s Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey (L) celebrates with Atletico Madrid’s Argentine forward Angel Correa after scoring during the Spanish league football match between Valencia CF and Club Atletico de Madrid at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on February 14, 2020. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)

Partey has a €45m release clause which the Gunners do not want to pay in full. Atletico do not want to reduce their price. Arsenal have offered them Matteo Guendouzi in part-exchange. The Spaniards said ‘no thank you’.

Diawara, however, has a market value of around £16.65m despite moving for £18.9m just last summer from Napoli. It’s unlikely that Roma will want to make a loss on the player after only one season, so expect Arsenal to have to dig a bit deeper to land him, if they are actually interested.

There are conflicting reports around Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s deal to join Roma permanently and if that hasn’t been settled, Arsenal could well have a bargaining chip.