Arsenal ready to offer Alexandre Lacazette to Atletico Madrid to secure Thomas Partey transfer

ARSENAL want Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey so much they could offer Alexandre Lacazette in a bid to get the deal done.

Partey, 26, is Gunners boss Mikel Arteta’s No 1 target as he prioritises signing a new defensive midfielder this summer.

The £50million-rated Ghanaian has become a key figure at Atletico and impressed in their Champions League success over Liverpool.

Partey still has three years remaining on his contract at Atletico, with the club poised to tie him down to a new package.

Having emerged through their youth ranks, the LaLiga giants are looking to reward him rise with a pay rise.

And they hope that can help secure his services until 2025 – with a much larger release clause figure inserted into his deal.

It means Arsenal – who have limited funds to give Arteta – will have to get creative if they want to prize away the midfielder from Spain.

That means the Spaniard could even be willing to sacrifice 28-year-old striker Lacazette in a part-exchange deal.

Atletico are looking to bring in a striker – having failed to sign Edison Cavani in the winter window – with Lacazette a target.

The France international struggled to hold down a regular starting spot in the side following Arteta’s arrival in late December, with Pierre-Emerick Aubam­eyang the preferred choice up front.

And the emergence of starlet Eddie Nketiah, 20, has increased competition for places, leaving Lacazette expendable.