Arsenal are continuing to be linked with a summer transfer for Atletico Madrid midfield enforcer Thomas Partey.
The Ghana international, who has been on the books of the La Liga giants since 2012, has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium over the last few months, with Mikel Arteta - the Gunners head coach - determined to put his own stamp of authority on the squad he inherited from former manager Unai Emery.
Arteta is eager to add a sense of steel and bite to his midfield, with Partey being the ideal candidate, as the 27-year-old bases his game on breaking up play, retrieving possession and instigating attacks.
Should Arsenal be able to land Partey this summer and lure him to the Emirates Stadium ahead of next season, the Gunners, who face Chelsea at Wembley in Saturday's FA Cup Final, will be forced to offload some unwanted figures from within Arteta's squad to be able to fund a deal for the midfielder.
Partey has a release clause in his Atletico contract worth north of £40million, meaning Arsenal would most certainly have to offload some players to be able to fund a deal.
And one of the players that Arsenal have been heavily linked with offloading this summer is Greek centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos, with reports both at home and abroad linking him with a summer exit, as he has played just one minute of football in league and cup since last month's restart following the coronavirus suspension.
However, Sokratis' agent - Konstantinos Farras - has now revealed that he does not expect the defender, despite the lack of game-time in recent weeks - to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer.
Farras told Star Sports: “He will stay, I don’t see a reason to leave.
“I don’t know why everyone is writing wrong and fake news.”
This news could scupper Partey's chances of landing his favourite shirt number if he seals a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, as Sokratis currently holds the Ghanaian's preferred choice.
Sokratis, of course, was handed shirt No.5 after signing for the Gunners back in 2018 and he has kept hold of it ever since.
Five, of course, is the number that Partey wears at Atletico Madrid and he has worn that since the start of the 2017/18 season.
So, unless Arsenal do attempt to offload Greek star Sokratis this summer, the only way Partey could land his dream shirt number at the Emirates Stadium is if the former Borussia Dortmund defender makes the decision to give it up.
Before wearing No.5, Partey had worn shirt No.22, but that is also currently taken at the Emirates Stadium by Pablo Mari, meaning the Ghana international, should he seal a switch to the Emirates Stadium this summer, may have to pick out a new number to don in Arsenal colours.
