Mikel Arteta has a clear vision in mind for what he wants Arsenal’s midfield to look like next season, and this plan has been in the works for years. Arteta’s first summer transfer window at Arsenal saw Thomas Partey arrive from Atletico Madrid for around £45m on deadline day in October 2020. Partey was brought in as a defensive midfielder who could dictate the play and drive the ball forward alongside Granit Xhaka, but Arsenal could not complete their ideal midfield that summer. Mesut Ozil was frozen out of the squad, and no replacement came until Emile Smith Rowe exploded onto the scene in D…
