Good news for Arsenal as £45m star withdraws from Int’l duty, a blessing in disguise – opinion | OneFootball

Arsenal have had a good beginning to the Premier League campaign and they are currently third in the table, one point behind current leaders Liverpool.

The Gunners have had a tough start on paper and their schedule does not get easier. They face Liverpool, Newcastle United and Chelsea before the next international break.

With this in mind, the London giants will need their key players in the best possible form and shape.

Kai Havertz recently withdrew from Nations League duty with Germany with a knee problem, but Charles Watts reports that his withdraw was purely precautionary.

Similarly, the journalist added that Thomas Partey’s withdrawal could be the same case.

The Ghanaian withdrew from the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers due to medical issues, but Watts says that he is suffering from illness and nothing more.

The Gunners made the decision to keep Partey in London rather than endure a lot of travel. In our opinion, this could be a blessing in disguise going forward.

The 31-year-old has been a key player under manager Mikel Arteta this season and he has started every Premier League and Champions League game thus far.

Partey has managed to stay unscathed during this period, but we have seen in the past that the midfielder has been prone to injuries due to his high workload.

Had Partey travelled for international duty, he would have obviously started and played the full 90 minutes in the upcoming double header against Sudan.

His non-involvement with his country is a plus for the Gunners. The £45 million-rated signing has the chance to get a much-needed breather after a string of games.

Partey has missed 80 games for club and country since joining from Atletico in 2020 and he faces a crucial period in his career with his contract expiring next summer.

Arsenal are yet to consider a renewal for him, but the midfielder still has plenty of incentive as an injury free campaign could encourage offers from elsewhere too.

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