Thomas Partey has opened up on the first thing that Mikel Arteta told him after he joined Arsenal on transfer Deadline Day in a press conference with the media today.
The BBC’s George Cummings posed the question to the 27-year-old in the star’s first experience with the English media.
As per the Independent, Arsenal’s hierarchy approved the move to trigger the midfielder’s £45m (€50m) release clause at Atletico Madrid after a personal request from Arteta.
Partey, who has returned to London following Ghana’s 5-1 win against Qatar yesterday, admitted that Arteta believes he can do the same thing for the Gunners that he did for Atleti.
The central midfielder reiterated that Arteta told him that he’s ‘seen him play’, with the Spaniard aware of what Partey can ‘give’ to the Arsenal team.
Thomas Partey on what Mikel Arteta told him in their first talk after he joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid… pic.twitter.com/2Xhz5PAy1S
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Partey made 188 appearances in his five season with Atletico’s first-team, the ace emerged on the scene as a raw and versatile prospect, before becoming key for the side since the 17/18 campaign.
The Ghanaian’s relentless ability on the defensive side of the ball is well-documented, but Partey isn’t really given the plaudits he deserves for his comfortable passing and excellent dribbling.
Partey showed his range – and teased how he can link up with someone like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with a wonderful long-range assist for Ghana against Qatar.
As the ace’s dominant displays against Liverpool showed, Partey is also a brilliant all-around athlete, with the 27-year-old set to offer Arsenal’s midfield a completely different dimension.
Partey simply fits the modern mould of a central midfielder better than someone like Granit Xhaka, the box-to-box star can offer the Gunners the mobility they’ve been lacking in the middle of the park.
It goes without saying that Partey’s well-balanced skillset and attributes could be a massive help to a side that usually only field two midfielders as Arteta deploys a 3-4-3 system with wing-backs.