Arsenal reportedly need Champions League football to afford Thomas Partey

Arsenal will reportedly only be able to push ahead with a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey if they qualify for next season's Champions League.

Partey has emerged as the Gunners' prime transfer target ahead of the summer window after the 26-year-old's father confirmed that talks have taken place.

However, Football. London reports that any hopes the North London outfit have of landing the £43.5m-rated Ghana international solely rest on their top-four prospects.

Arsenal are ninth in the Premier League at the time of the coronavirus-enforced shutdown, eight points off fourth, though fifth place may be enough to secure a Champions League berth given Manchester City's impending European ban.

Gunners chiefs have supposedly agreed that the club cannot spend freely at the end of the season due to COVID-19's financial impact on teams across the world.

Partey has spent five seasons with Atletico, making 174 appearances for the Spanish side.