Sokratis Papastathopoulos' departure from Arsenal could have an impact on summer signing Thomas Partey.
The Greek centre-back has had his contract at the Emirates terminated by mutual consent, six months early, to allow him to move elsewhere to find first team opportunities.
Sokratis was out of favour under manager Mikel Arteta and has not played a first team game this season.
The defender joins close friend Mesut Ozil, who will sign for Fenerbahce, Matt Macey and loanees Sead Kolasinac and William Saliba in leaving north London this month.
"Well, we have a large squad. We knew that," the Arsenal manager said last week. "A lot of things that should have happened in the summer we could not accomplish them for different reasons.
"There are a lot of players that are going to go on loan. They are going to leave.
"And that's the priority at the moment because we cannot sustain the numbers that we have in certain positions.
"We are looking to do that."
Whilst Macey has joined Hibernian permanently, Kolasinac and Saliba have joined Schalke and Nice respectively on loan until the end of the season.
football.london understands Ozil is set to join Turkish side Fenerbahce, with the deal all but done. And, interestingly, he could be joined in Turkey by current teammate Sokratis.
Sokratis' exit could be fantastic news for Thomas Partey ahead of next season.
The Ghana international joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for £45m last summer and was given the no.18 as his favoured no.5 - which he wore at his former club and wears for the national team - was taken by Sokratis.
As the former Borussia Dortmund is not expected to be at the club for the 2021/22 season, it makes Partey chances of getting his dream shirt number all the more easier.
Although, he will have to wait a few more months should he want a change as players can't make shirt number alterations during a season.
