PARTEY SET FOR ARSENAL RETURN

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has hardly played for the Gunners since his big money transfer last summer. The Ghana international has struggled with a thigh injury for the majority of his time at Arsenal whom he joined when they paid the release clause in his Atletico Madrid contract last year. Arsenal paid €50m (£45m) to sign the Ghana midfielder to make him the fourth most expensive signing in their history behind the attacking trio of Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-EmerickAubameyang and Nicholas Pepe.

Thomas Partey made his debut for Arsenal as a late substitute in the Premier League defeat at Manchester City. The Ghana player couldn't do anything as Raheem Sterling scored the lone goal of the game in the first half to condemn the Gunners to their second league defeat of the season.

Partey played in four more games before he picked up the injury during the disappointing league defeat to Aston Villa at home. The Ghana player was subbed off during the halftime break of that game while the Gunners were trailing 1-0. Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins scored two goals in the second half to make it a stunning 3-0 win for Aston Villa.
Thomas Partey spent three weeks on the sidelines as a result of the aforementioned thigh problem before being rushed back for the North London Derby with Tottenham Hotspur in December. He would suffer a similar thigh injury in the first half of that derby clash in the league as the Gunners were beaten 2-0 away from home. Since, the Spurs game, the Ghana international has not played for Arsenal but that could this weekend in the FA Cup clash with Newcastle United at home. The Arsenal midfielder returned to training last week and he's in line to make the squad for the Newcastle United game in the third round as the Gunners start the defence of the title they won last season.