Arsenal have yet to enter the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

It was reported in the Italian press on Monday that the Gunners could hijack Lazio’s €15m (£13m) move for the Swiss international but Romano says the London club are set to keep faith with Thomas Partey:

“My understanding is that no decision has been made by Sow yet. Lazio and Sevilla are insisting for him, let’s see if Arsenal decide to enter the race, but at the moment they’re happy with Thomas Partey staying.”

There has been plenty of speculation about Partey’s future over the past few weeks but manager Mikel Arteta has recently made it clear that he wants the Ghanaian to remain at the Emirates.

Despite those remarks, though, it has been suggested that a sizeable offer from Saudi Arabia may still tempt Arsenal into selling up.

Would Sow be a good replacement for Partey?

Just a cursory look at their performances for their respected clubs last season suggests that the Gunners would be downgrading if they were seriously contemplating replacing Partey with Sow.

In terms of the defensive aspects of the game, Partey averaged more tackles and interceptions last campaign (3.55 per 90 minutes to Sow’s 2.35).

It’s a similar picture when we look at possessions stats, with the Ghanaian international superior when it comes to progressive passes, key passes and take-ons.

Arsenal would be better off targeting alternatives

Although Sow is, by no means, a bad player, you do feel that the club could do better if they are looking for a successor to Partey.

Signing a young talent, such as Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, who could learn and develop during his time at the club, would be the perfect solution, but finances may make such a move difficult to pull off this summer.

There are other options. Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz has been mentioned as a potential target in recent weeks, while there is always a chance that sporting director Edu could find a hidden gem in the Brazilian market.