‘Partey over Aouar at Arsenal all day long’ - Kevin Campbell

Arsenal should be prioritising a move for Thomas Partey over one for Houssem Aouar “all day long”, says Kevin Campbell, with there still an outside chance that the Gunners could land both.

Mikel Arteta is hoping to see late deals pushed through at Emirates Stadium before Monday’s deadline.

He has overseen a productive window so far, with Willian and Gabriel Magalhaes among those to have been added to the ranks in north London.

Arsenal would like to see more movement in and out prior to the latest market closing for business, with there several deals still said to be in the pipeline.

Partey is among those, with the Atletico Madrid midfielder a long-standing target for a Premier League heavyweight.

Lyon playmaker Aouar is another that Arteta would like to get on board, but the Frenchman is attracting interest from elsewhere and is not the enforcer that Campbell believes the Gunners need.

The former Arsenal striker told the Chronicles of a Gooner podcast when quizzed on the recruitment plan that he would favour: “Partey all day long.

“If we secure that midfield defensively and the screen in front of the back four, I think we win a lot more games than we lose.

“But if you add Houssem Aouar, who’s a very good technically-gifted player, we still have a problem in the middle of the pitch defensively.

“For years we’ve been calling out for a [Patrick] Vieira or Gilberto-type guy in there who can do box to box and break things up.

“If we don’t rectify that issue it’s still going to remain, we might be a little bit better going forward but we still haven’t rectified that problem at the back and in midfield.

“I want both but if I had to pick one, it’s Thomas Partey.”

Arsenal will be back in Premier League action on Sunday when taking in a home date with Sheffield United.

Arteta’s side lost to Liverpool in their last top-flight outing, but avenged that defeat in midweek Carabao Cup competition and will be in buoyant mood when playing host to a Blades side that remains pointless through three games.