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Former Manchester United defender turned television pundit Rio Ferdinand has mocked Arsenal with a hilarious dig on midfielder Thomas Partey. The Ghana international was considered irreplaceable by many fans but injuries have limited his appearances for the club.
Partey has featured 104 times for Arsenal so far following his £45 million switch from Atletico Madrid in 2020. On the other hand, he has been unavailable on 71 occasions so far with various injury issues.
Rio Ferdinand has now taken a dig at Arsenal fans for their claim of Partey being one of the best players in his position. The ex-England defender hilariously asked for the Ghanaian to be "freed". Speaking on his Vibe with Five YouTube show, Ferdinand said, as quoted by Just Arsenal:
"Thomas Partey is irreplaceable by the way [according to Arsenal fans] but he ain’t been seen this season! Not even mentioned on the show. What’s happened to Thomas Partey?! Where is Thomas? Someone free Thomas Partey. Please, I need to see him again man."
Partey has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates this season following Declan Rice's £105 million summer switch. In total, he has played just 251 minutes in the Premier League and has also been out with injury problems.
As reported by Just Arsenal, the north London side are also considering replacements for Partey and have been linked with several names. Douglas Luiz and Martin Zubimendi have been named as Mikel Arteta's reported targets.
Arsenal slap £50 million price-tag on 25-year-old outcast
Arsenal have reportedly slapped a £50 million price tag on Aaron Ramsdale as the England international attracts interest from other clubs. As claimed by Football Transfers (via TEAMTalk), Mikel Arteta won't stand in Ramsdale's way should he decide to move on after being relegated to a backup option.
Ramsdale has become the Gunners' second choice between the sticks following David Raya's arrival on loan from Brentford in the summer. However, Mikel Arteta will only consider selling the Englishman if their valuation is met.
They signed Ramsdale for just £20 million from Sheffield United in 2021 but now want £50 million for his services. Ramsdale still has three years left on his deal which puts the club in a strong position.
Ramsdale was excellent for Mikel Arteta's side last term as he kept 15 clean sheets in 41 games across competitions. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Season for his strong performances.
