LIFE AND SOUL OF THE PARTEY

Arteta insists £45m midfielder has the energy and drive to push Gunners to the next level

MIKEL ARTETA believes Thomas Partey can help take Arsenal to the next level.

The Gunners manager ( b e l o w) splashed out £45million on the Atletico Madri d mi d f i el der d er on d ead lin e d ay i n a statement of intent by the club – and is set to give the

Ghanian his debut a t Ma n c h e s t e r

City today.

Ar t e t a b e li e v e s

Partey, 27 can give Arsenal a driving force from midfield that they have lacked since he took over.

The Spaniard said: “Thomas is going to give us more versatility i n our way of playing. He can play in two or three different positions when we a re a b l e to change formations or game-plans against opponents. He will give us something that at the moment we don’t have.” Partey (right), who has netted 10 goals from midfield in 30 senior caps f or Gha Ghana, was tracked by Ar Arsenal for some t time before they moved to trigger his get-out clause. Arteta said: “We n need a balance be between the young play players we have in breakthrough or development phases and others that are at the peak or twilight of their careers. “Thomas is the right recruit for us in terms of age, his history and career, where he has been educated, the amount of experience he has and the quality that he has to adapt to our game.”

But the Arsenal manager pleaded for fans to give their new man time to adapt to the pace and aggression of the Premier League despite his strength, speed and range of passing

“There is a lot of expectation , but we have to give players time to a d a p t ,” s a i d the Gunners boss. “The

Spanish league and the Premier League are completely different, the style of play of Atletico and ours have some big differences.

“What is unquestionable is the quality y of the e player and nd the level he has been en pl ay in g in i n the last five ve or six years. s.

“If he has the support rt of the coaching hing staff, players s and fans, then hen o bv iou sly the adaptation n will be quick.”