Saka and Saliba react to heartfelt Thomas Partey message as Arsenal exit nears
Bukayo Saka and William Saliba have reacted to an emotional message from Thomas Partey as he nears the end of his Arsenal contract.
The Gunners fell short in the Premier League again last season, with Arne Slot’s Liverpool beating them to the title by 10 points after a stellar campaign.
Mikel Arteta is yet to sign a new player this summer, but he is set to sanction some exits soon with Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior both linked with moves from Arsenal to AC Milan.
Partey is due to depart the Emirates Stadium at the end of this month as it stands, with his contract expiring on June 30 and no new terms yet agreed with the Gunners’ chiefs.
Football Insider revealed last month that Arsenal are confident of keeping Partey, and getting him to sign a new deal, but nothing has materialised on that front as yet despite his role as a regular starter under Arteta over the last few seasons.
Bukayo Saka and William Saliba react to Thomas Partey’s ‘honoured’ message after award win
Arsenal face competition from Barcelona for Partey’s services this summer, with Hansi Flick identifying the 32-year-old as an ideal addition to his midfield following their recent La Liga title win.
His standout performances for the Gunners saw him pick up the Male Player of the Year award at the 2025 Ghana Football Awards on Sunday (15 June), and he shared an emotional message to his Instagram page on Monday (16 June) in reaction to the result, stating that he was “honoured” to win while also thanking “everyone who’s been a part of this journey” in his career.
His post earned likes from a number of his Arsenal teammates, namely Saka, Saliba, Leandro Trossard, Riccardo Calafiori and Zinchenko.
Mohammed Kudus, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kieran Tierney all also liked the message, while former Gunners striker Eddie Nketiah liked and commented with a raised-hands emoji to show his support.
Arsenal set for a busy summer as Partey decision looms
Football Insider verdict
Partey’s contract is just one of a number of key situations that Arsenal need to address regarding their playing squad this season, with clear improvements needed to finally clinch another Premier League title next term.
The striker position is one that needs particular attention, with Swedish international Viktor Gyokeres and Leipzig frontman Benjamin Sesko both linked, but Football Insider have recently revealed that Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta are at odds over which to sign this summer.
Arteta certainly needs to be backed heavily, and a marquee signing of any kind would go a long way to helping them achieve success next season and in the years to come, especially with Liverpool and Man City both making serious moves in the market so far this summer.
| Player | Signed from | Transfer fee |
| Riccardo Calafiori | Bologna | £42m [Sky Sports] |
| Mikel Merino | Real Sociedad | £27.4m [BBC] |
| David Raya | Brentford | £27m [Sky Sports] |
| Raheem Sterling | Chelsea | Loan |
| Neto | Bournemouth | Loan |
Former Aston Villa chief Keith Wyness recently told Football Insider that the Arsenal are plotting a move to sign Villans talent Morgan Rogers this summer too, but Partey’s situation is one that needs sorting as soon as possible before he becomes a free agent next month.
The 32-year-old certainly still has a lot to give in the Gunners’ starting eleven, after his 35 league appearances last term, and it is imperative that Arteta gets him tied down to a new deal soon.