Edu already knows £25m Arsenal deal he must complete to grant Mikel Arteta squad wish

Both players have little under a year left on their contracts and it’s possible both are playing their football elsewhere this time next year. Partey was linked with an exit away from Emirates Stadium over the summer but a move failed to materialise. He is still an important member of the Gunners’ squad and has started all three of their opening games this season.

Jorginho, who was signed from Chelsea in January 2023, is yet to feature this season but could come into the side for the North London Derby against Tottenham on Sunday, September 15 given Rice’s suspension. The Italian’s experience will be invaluable to Arteta throughout the season as the Spaniard looks to challenge on all fronts once more.

There is an option for a further year in Jorginho’s current contract but it remains to be seen if that option will be triggered by the club or player. It’s very possible that both Partey and Jorginho choose to move on from north London at the end of the season, especially as their free agent status will attract a host of clubs.

Arsenal, though, could choose to extend both players’ contracts. Partey is valued at €18million (£15million) according to Transfermarkt, while Jorginho is valued at €12million (£10million). Given Partey is 31 and Jorginho is 32, both players have a decent amount of football left in them and at the very least will be good squad players over the next couple of seasons.

“I’m always happy with the squad,” Arteta said on deadline day. “I think we have tremendous players, a magnificent group of human beings.

“We always want to do better, we cannot deny that, the most important thing is to try to improve our own players, and then in terms of the numbers and the quality, can we improve the squad. For sure there are margins there.”

It’s interesting that in April 2022 Arteta revealed his ideal squad would consist of three goalkeepers and 22 outfield players. Currently, the Gunners have 22 senior players listed on their website, although this does include Kieran Tierney who does not have a future at the club. If you add Tommy Setford and Ethan Nwaneri, that means Arteta has 23 players in his senior squad, not including Tierney.

“If you can financially afford it and we don’t have to do the turnaround in the squad that we’ve had to do, if you ask me what I want it’s 22 outfield players and three goalkeepers,” Arteta said. “You have to come a long way in the aspects that you see on the pitch, it’s a lot of things that have to be put in place, and that takes time.”

So, if Jorginho and Partey were to leave upon the expiry of their contracts, Arteta would have just 18 outfield players at his disposal. Of course, you would expect the Gunners to dip into the transfer market again next summer to bolster Arteta’s squad, but it may just make sense for Partey and Jorginho to stick around a while longer. Whether or not Arsenal want them to do so remains to be seen.