Arsenal transfer news: Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Aaron Ramsey, Thomas Partey

Chelsea and Arsenal may swap midfielders during January transfer window

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a transfer target for Arsenal
Chelsea and England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek in action against Arsenal in pre-season
(Image credit: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images)

Ramsey for Loftus-Cheek?

A swap deal between Arsenal and Chelsea may be on the cards as the two London clubs look to give their midfields a makeover in 2019.

The Daily Star says that the Blues are yet to “make a decision on Ruben Loftus-Cheek amid Arsenal interest” because they are weighing up whether to propose that the Gunners give them Aaron Ramsey in return.

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With Manchester United eyeing up the Welsh playmaker, Chelsea know that time is of the essence. According to Metro, Ramsey “is open” to joining either club as he runs down the last few months of his contract before it expires in June.

Free to talk to clubs from January, the 27-year-old is being watched by both Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho and Chelsea gaffer Maurizio Sarri.

The Bridge beckons

A move to Stamford Bridge would make more sense for Ramsey, who has spent the last ten years in the capital with Arsenal.

For the moment, Chelsea are refusing to countenance allowing Loftus-Cheek to leave in January, but with the England international “desperate” for regular first-team football, it may prove wiser for his club to do a deal with Arsenal rather than see him become disenchanted.

The Star says that despite interest in the 22-year-old from several clubs, Arsenal are the favourites to land him as “they seek a long-term replacement for Ramsey”.

Emery to fight PSG for Partey

Unai Emery has his eye on Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey, but the Arsenal manager “faces competition from his former club” for the hand of the Ghana ace, reports the Daily Express.

French champions Paris Saint-Germain, who parted company with Emery in the summer, are tracking the playmaker, but according to Ghanaian media, Emery is leading the chase and “could make a move as early as the January transfer window”.

Partey, 25, first came to Emery’s attention when he was in charge of Sevilla, and the Spaniard has added him to his possible buys as he looks to replace Ramsey. Loftus-Cheek is another option, but the Express claims that Atletico boss Diego Simeone may be willing to release Partey in order to line up “a move for Juventus star Rodrigo Bentancur”.