Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey will spend a couple of weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury, the Ghana FA has confirmed.
The 30-year-old has remained a regular for Mikel Arteta since the 2023-24 season began, having stayed put in North London despite rumoured interest from Juventus and Saudi Arabia.
Partey has started all three of Arsenal's Premier League games in an inverted right-back role, although he lasted just 56 minutes in last weekend's 2-2 draw at home to Fulham.
The midfielder's withdrawal for Oleksandr Zinchenko was a tactical one, though, and he was pictured in full training with the rest of his teammates earlier this week.
Arteta did not report any injury concern for Partey during Friday's pre-match press conference either, but he was a notable absentee from the Ghana squad for their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with the Central African Republic.
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A statement from the Ghana FA confirmed that Partey had picked up a problem in training, which was relayed to them by Arsenal, although the Gunners have not provided an official update.
"Arsenal ace Thomas Partey is left out of the squad due to injury. According to his club, the player picked up an injury in training and could be on the sidelines for a while, however the Black Stars medical teams is monitoring the situation," the statement read.
Rumours began circulating on social media that Partey could spend a couple of months on the sidelines, but in a later update, Ghana's team doctor Prince Pambo stated that the former Atletico Madrid man will only be missing for a couple of weeks.
"He sustained a groin injury during training on Thursday, August 31, 2023. He is currently unavailable as Club Doctors predict he's likely to be out for a couple of weeks," Pambo told ghanafa.org.
News of Partey's diagnosis comes less than 24 hours before Arsenal are due to welcome Manchester United to the Emirates for Sunday's headline Premier League battle, which the Ghanaian will seemingly be forced to miss.
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As Arsenal fans wait with bated breath to hear an official update from the club, it remains to be seen if Partey will be fit to face Everton after the international break on September 16, four days before the Gunners meet PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League opener.
With the 30-year-old absent, Ben White is the most likely candidate to revert to a right-back role against the Red Devils, as Jurrien Timber remains out for the long-term with his ACL injury.
However, Takehiro Tomiyasu is back from a one-game ban and is another option for Arteta at the back, while Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhaes are also pushing for recalls.
Partey's absence should also see Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz continue in an unaltered engine room, although the latter has been criticised amid a slow start to his Gunners career.
Ben Knapton
