Arsenal’s perfect Partey replacement? Unsung Premier League star could be an Arteta masterstroke

Robin Bairner

• 31 May 2025 11:36 BST
• 13 min read

Analysis

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is expected to sign a new contract with the Gunners, but at 31-year-old Mikel Arteta must be looking at a long-term succession plan for the midfield star.

Partey has done Arsenal fine service since arriving from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for €50 million, yet there is little doubt that he is entering the twilight of his career at the top level.

The Gunners are poised to tie down the veteran in a flurry of new contracts at the Emirates Stadium, yet it is likely to be a comparatively short-term deal.

If Sevilla’s Lucien Agoume is being examined as a priority option to replace Partey, the Gunners could be well advised to look a little closer to home as an alternative option.

STATS

Thomas Partey 

DM, M (C), D (R)

Arsenal

Thomas Partey 

DM, M (C), D (R)

Arsenal

All Tournaments

2024/25

• 52

  Games

• 4

  Goals

• 2

  Assists

View all stats

Yegor Yarmolyuk: One to watch

Brentford midfielder Yegor Yarmolyuk has just agreed a new six-year contract with the Bees, yet the 21-year-old Ukraine international should be seen as a long-term candidate to replace Partey at Arsenal.

The midfielder featured in 35 games for Thomas Frank’s side across all competitions this season and by the end of the season was starting regularly for the London outfit.

While he is steadily gathering Premier League experience – something that Arteta is known to value in his signings – there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that he is developing into a top central midfielder.

Stylistically, he showed a very similar pattern to Partey last season, offering box-to-box attributes with a solid defensive base game. Although often classed as an attacking midfielder, there is clear scope for him to play in a more defensive manner.

Yarmolyuk vs Partey: Playing style (2024/25)

Frank underlined this while celebrating the player’s new deal.

“He’s a fantastic pressing player, he’s dynamic, and he covers so much of the pitch,” the Brentford boss said in a statement published on the club's official website.

“He’s strong in duels and he has a drive to run forward. I like the way he distributes over the pitch.

“Yehor has a few development areas as he’s still a young player, but he is another good example of a Brentford player who will make us better in the future and who will also get better himself.”

A higher ceiling than Partey

Interestingly, Yarmolyuk is already ahead of Partey at a comparable stage of development, while the former Dnipro youngster is expected to accelerate ahead of the Arsenal star in the long term and actually become a better player.

His current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) sits at €18m, but that appears destined to grown in the months ahead.

Remaining at Brentford in the meantime is an important step for Yarmolyuk, who will be able to gather valuable first-team experience at a club known for its ability to develop potential, but it’s clear he has a big future and when Partey does eventually leave Arsenal, there is every chance he will be a readymade replacement just down the road.

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