Thomas Partey has withdrawn from international duty and will remain with Arsenal, despite starting in their weekend win over Southampton. The midfielder will miss Ghana’s back-to-back African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sudan.
In a statement, the Ghana Football Association said: “Thomas is unable to join the Black Stars due to medical issues he is currently experiencing, and his club has scheduled him for further tests in the coming days.”
While this may suggest an illness rather than an injury, there has been no official confirmation of the exact reason for Partey’s absence. If the issue causes him to miss any games for Arsenal after the international break, *Football.london* has highlighted three potential replacements in the Gunners’ midfield:
### Mikel Merino
Mikel Merino has impressed in his recent appearances for Arsenal after weeks of anticipation. The Spaniard came on against both PSG and Southampton, earning praise from manager Mikel Arteta. If Partey is sidelined, Arteta could shift Declan Rice to a deeper role and start Merino as the second defensive-minded midfielder. Merino’s tendency to push forward and support the attack adds a different dynamic, one that many expected would be established when he was signed to potentially replace Partey.
### Jorginho
Partey started Arsenal’s recent match against Southampton at right-back due to injuries to Ben White and Jurrien Timber. With Takehiro Tomiyasu now fit and both White and Timber expected to return after the break, Partey is unlikely to continue in that unorthodox role. If Partey remains unavailable, Jorginho could be another option for Arteta in the midfield.
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