GUNNERS WILL ENJOY THE PARTEY WHEN HE’S UP TO SPEED
HE will need to get up to speed — Arsenal play at a different pace to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid — but if Thomas Partey makes the adjustment there is no reason why he can’t complete Mikel Arteta’s midfield puzzle. Atletico fans did not want him to go. when they were being run out of the Champions league by RB leipzig in August, fans bemoaned Partey’s absence. A thigh strain ruled him out as Simeone’s side were overpowered and outplayed.
He had a strange relationship with Simeone. He was the second most-used outfield player last season but there was always a sense of him playing in the Argentine coach’s straitjacket. Arteta will want to take the shackles off to get his £45million money’s worth. Partey is not a holding midfielder. He played there for Atletico because of the club’s limited alternatives in that position after selling Rodri to Manchester City last summer. But when Atletico sent out Partey on loan as a youngster to Mallorca and Almeria, he played as an attacking midfielder, where he has been deployed for Ghana.
He is more comfortable when he receives the ball facing the opposition goal. But ask him to do Granit Xhaka’s job and he’ll be less confident receiving the ball facing his own goal or on the half-turn. He is better when driving forward.
Arteta will know he is getting an excellent long passer. There were two first-half precision deliveries behind the Villarreal defence for Kieran Trippier to run on to on Saturday in Partey’s last game for Atletico. He breaks lines well and shoots powerfully. if he plays next to Xhaka, or in a three joined by Dani Ceballos, the scope will be there for him to get up and down the pitch. He did not always have such freedom of movement in Madrid.
And it’s that back-and-forth football that he is desperate to experience in the Premier league. Arsenal are getting a player who wants to play for them, not one being forced out by his club. Atletico fans angry at the late departure are wondering who to blame; the ungrateful former youth-teamer selfishly timing his departure so late that his club could not buy a replacement? But Atletico are helped financially by his sale. The idea they were completely caught out by a late bid was shot down by sources consulted by Sportsmail.
with Arsenal-owned lucas Torreira parked-up in Madrid having carried out his medical and waiting to join on loan, it seems Atletico had a good idea that Partey (right) was on his way. His desire to move spiked last season after failure to agree a new contract, which left him behind fellow midfielders Koke and Saul in the pay stakes. with the pandemic putting a squeeze on la liga, a new deal was never going to be to his satisfaction. it was time to move.
England won’t faze him. He arrived in Spain from Ghana aged 18. And he had already left home and moved cities in Ghana as a teenager to play in the country’s second division. He just needs to rewire for England’s quicker pace. if he does, Simeone’s loss will be Arsenal’s gain.