Barcelona interested in signing £200k-per-week Arsenal player likely to leave

La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are eyeing a 2025 move for one Arsenal mainstay, as it is believed he’s now “almost certain” to leave the club.

Arsenal prepare for Southampton after 2-0 win over PSG

Mikel Arteta watched his side put on an imperious display against French champions PSG on Tuesday night in the Champions League, a result which extended the club’s unbeaten run so far this term and made a real statement.

The Premier League title hopefuls were rarely threatened by Luis Enrique’s side – which is a testament to Arsenal’s all-round solidarity and big game management – with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka’s quick-fire first-half goals enough to seal a crucial three points in Europe.

Saka was bizarrely criticised for a “fringe” performance against PSG by pundit Darren Bent, despite his goal. That verdict aside, every Arsenal player, including the England international, contributed during an evening to remember at the Emirates Stadium.

Next, Arsenal take on Southampton at 3pm on Saturday, and it is a match which Arteta’s side are expected to win comfortably with the Saints bottom of the table. Arteta will be able to call upon summer signing Mikel Merino again, following the Spaniard’s debut against PSG and after his recovery from a shoulder fracture.

Merino’s absence left Arsenal short in midfield for a time, and sporting director Edu Gaspar will be thankful that he didn’t green-light an exit for midfield general Thomas Partey as a result.

Partey was heavily linked with a summer exit from Arsenal since late last year, but the Ghanaian remained in north London and has since been handed the nod by Arteta in each of Arsenal’s league games so far – starting every single one.

The 31-year-old’s stellar partnership with Declan Rice in midfield looks unbreakable right now, with Partey winning all of his duels against PSG during an excellent display against a star-studded team.

It is quite the return to form for a player who started just nine times in the league last season, and the former Atletico Madrid star is on course to smash past the number of appearances he made over 2023/2024.

Partey “almost certain” to leave Arsenal as Barcelona eye move

However, there is the matter of his contract lingering in the background. The £200,000-per-week mainstay’s deal expires next summer, putting a host of clubs on alert over his potential availability in 2025. Unless Edu and Arteta opt to negotiate fresh terms, the African could be on the move sooner rather than later.

Despite his value to the team this season, journalist Jorge Asensio claimed this week that Partey is “almost certain” to leave Arsenal. Understandably, clubs are queuing up to sign him for a potential bargain price.

Barcelona are understood to be one of the interested sides, alongside Juventus, Inter Milan and Saudi Pro League clubs. Many more teams could register their interest soon, with Arteta facing the prospect of losing a “really important” player at the end of this season.