Alan Smith has urged Arsenal to begin planning for the potential departure of in-form midfielder Thomas Partey.
The Ghana international’s Gunners career has been plagued by injuries but he appears to have overcome those issues this season.
Partey has been a near ever-present much to the relief of Mikel Arteta who has relied heavily on the former Atletico Madrid star and been forced to deploy him as a makeshift right-back on several occasions.
The 31-year-old was outstanding again in Tuesday’s 5-1 win over Sporting Lisbon and earned the praise of his manager who spoke to the media on Friday ahead of this weekend’s game against West Ham.
‘We will have the right time to discuss this situation [his contract],’ Arteta said. ‘He’s showing consistency at the highest level again because of his ability and the way he feels physically which is allowing him to do that. I am very pleased with that.’
Partey’s contract expires at the end of the current season and can speak to potential new clubs in January and Smith believes he has identified the perfect replacement.
‘I think Arteta is looking at Tijjani Reijnders because players like Thomas Partey doesn’t look like he’s capable of what he used to athletically and can’t get about the pitch like he did,’ he told Mega Dice.
‘He might want some new legs in those positions and an extra body in midfield. Arsenal have spent a lot of money but if they’ve got the funds, you just want to keep improving the squad.’
Smith, meanwhile, has been thoroughly impressed by the rapid progress made by teenager Ethan Nwaneri who scored his first ever Premier League goal in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
‘Arteta knows better than anyone else with what to do with Ethan Nwaneri,’ he added.
‘But he’s been ultra careful with him, you can’t hold a player like that with so much ability down for too long. He looks like he’s ready to be let off the leash.
‘Nwaneri is more than capable of replacing Saka on that right-hand side, there hasn’t really been a replacement for him yet. He’s a versatile player, he could play in the middle, and on the left.
‘You’d like to think you can expect to see him more in the starting XI now this season, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli aren’t in their best form so it might be that Arteta gives him more starting opportunities in the coming weeks.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.