Arsenal have identified a replacement for star midfielder Thomas Partey when he joins Ghan camp for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Partey, who is deputy skipper of Black Stars, is certain to be in Cameroon and Arsenal have to make do without him for about a month.
The Gunners are fully aware of Partey’s impending absence along with other starters Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe and Mohamed Elneny.
But for Partey, the club are fully confident Granit Xhaka would cover for Partey. The Swiss midfielder suffered a serious knee injury in the north London derby earlier in the campaign and the Arsenal medical team gave an approximate 8-week absence timeline.
This meant he would return in the new year should the 29-year-old stay on course.
Should Xhaka return this January his partner will be the player who was previously acquired to cover in the Ghanaian’s absence this summer.
Sambi Lokonga was signed by the club from Anderlecht and has impressed massively in the opening games so far this season.
Partey is expected to join Ghana camp in late December to prepare for the tournament which gets underway on January 9.