Mikel Arteta confirms bad news on Arsenal midfielder

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that midfielder Thomas Partey could be sidelined for the rest of the campaign.

The Ghana international picked up a thigh injury against Crystal Palace earlier this month, and subsequently missed the Brighton loss.

It was initially suggested that he could be out for a few weeks, but after proper diagnosis, it has been confirmed that the timescale could be longer.

Speaking in today's press conference, Arteta was pessimistic over Partey's fitness, and does not see him returning before the end of the season.

This is definitely bad news for the Gunners, who have largely depended on Partey and Granit Xhaka in midfield since the turn of the year.

The duo have guided the club towards the top four, and Partey will be a huge miss for the Gunners for the final nine games of the season.

Albert Sambi Lokonga and Mohamed Elneny are the possible replacement options in the squad, but neither have played regularly of late.