It was just a matter of time until Arsenal were going to make official the signing of Declan Rice after the club reached an agreement with West Ham for the player's services.

Rice could be the latest to join the Gunners with Kai Havertz already joining from Chelsea while Jurrien Timber is also expected to complete his transfer to the Emirates.

With Arsenal keen on Rice, Thomas Partey's stay at the club may be in doubt as Mikel Arteta's side also have Jorginho in their ranks for the upcoming season.

In 2020, Thomas Partey joined Arsenal for 50 million euros, making him the most expensive Ghanaian player ever.

After a disappointing first two seasons, Partey quickly adapted to life in the Premier League proving pivotal in Arsenal’s ambitious title charge last season as they almost ended their league drought.

Now, it seems as though Partey’s first-team role in the middle of the park could be in jeopardy, as Mikel Arteta looks to revitalize his midfield to cope with a long-awaited Champions League return for the Gunners.

With Martin Odegaard a clear mainstay, it looks as if Arteta is looking to throw caution to the wind by adding Rice and Havertz to form a highly offensive, yet dynamic midfield three.

Partey has always brought a sense of stability in front of the Arsenal defence, but it seems that his importance will drop if a major shift in Arsenal’s system occurs ahead of the new season.

He has the option for a big-money move to Saudi Arabia, with a few European clubs also interested in his services most notably Juventus.

A move away does seem like the best option for Partey if he is looking for playing time, but the Arsenal project is looking more and more promising, so he might want to stick around.

He’s only 28 and has many more years in him. The reports now are only a speculation but the coming weeks will really be key to determining the future of the Black Stars vice-captain.