In big news for Arsenal Football Club, Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey has officially left the team as a free agent today, June 30, 2025, after his contract ended.
This change has been expected for over a week and marks the end of Partey’s five years at the Emirates Stadium.
At the same time, Arsenal has quickly moved to strengthen its midfield by signing Christian Nørgaard, the captain of Brentford, for around £10 million, with an additional £5 million possible later, as confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Partey joined Arsenal from Atlético Madrid in 2020 for £45 million. During his time at the club, he played 167 matches, scoring nine goals and making seven assists.
Even though he had a strong 2024/25 season, starting 31 Premier League matches, talks for a new contract stopped because of disagreements over money, leading to his exit.
Sources say Partey is now in discussions for a big-money move to Saudi Arabia, and clubs from Turkey and Spain, including Barcelona, are also interested in him.
Arsenal fans have mixed feelings about this move. Some are sad to see the 32-year-old leave because of his skill, while others think it’s a good idea for the club to move on due to his age and injury problems.
Christian Nørgaard, a 31-year-old Danish international, has been chosen to fill the gap left by Partey and Jorginho, who have just joined Flamengo.
Nørgaard has played 192 matches for Brentford since 2019 and will have a medical check in London to finalise his transfer.
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, picked Nørgaard because of his experience in the Premier League and his strong defensive skills, choosing him over younger players like Lucien Agoumé from Sevilla.
Nørgaard is known for breaking up plays with 193 ball recoveries last season and has also scored nine goals and provided four assists, which makes him a valuable addition for Arsenal.
This move fits into Arsenal’s larger plan, which includes signing Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi for £51 million and Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Nørgaard is expected to play an important role, working alongside Zubimendi and Declan Rice in the midfield while bringing leadership to a relatively young team.
As Arsenal prepares for the 2025/26 Premier League season, Nørgaard’s signing shows their commitment to staying competitive in the race for the title.
