Arsenal finally signed Thomas Partey on deadline day, and fans are understandably excited to see him in action.
The Gunners have been linked with a deal to sign Partey for months now, and it looked like they had run out of time to raise the funds for him.
However, Arsenal managed to pay the €50million (£45million) release clause to lure Partey away from Atletico Madrid before Monday’s transfer deadline.
The 27-year-old looks to be the perfect signing for Arsenal, as he is physical enough to break up play but also has great passing ability.
Partey is a proven player at the highest level, and should be exactly what Mikel Arteta has been looking for in his Arsenal midfield.
Avram Grant knows Partey well having managed him on the international stage with Ghana, and whilst he is a former rival of Arsenal having managed Chelsea, he has praised the move.
Grant has told The Sun that Partey is ‘very consistent’, and can make a ‘big difference’ to Arsenal given that he is so disciplined and is a great fit for Arteta.
Grant added that he wants Arsenal fans to be patient with Partey in his first few games, because he still has to adapt to the Premier League, and predicted that he will prove to be a ‘good signing’.
“From the first time I watched him, I saw a player who was very strong and good on the ball, who understands the game very well,” said Grant. “Even when he was relatively young and inexperienced, he knew what he needed to do in terms of possession and position, how to get in the right place at the right time. But he’s also a very good boy, on and off the pitch, with a great character. He wants to do his job and he is very consistent.”
“Thomas doesn’t tend to have good days and bad days because you know every match what you will get from him, which is his best for the team. I’d ask the Arsenal fans to give him a few weeks just to get used to English football, because it is still played differently in the Premier League to anywhere else, even if there are more foreign players now. But he will prove a good signing, perfect for what Mikel Arteta is trying to do.”
“When you need him to hold the ball up, he can do that and he is a great fit for what Arteta is trying to make his team. If you ask him to play wide, he can but it’s not his position. He is a central midfielder, who will win the ball and play the right pass forward and can see the pitch, tactically disciplined as well and committed to his team. And he will make a big difference to Arsenal, just like he did at Atletico. He is a really good signing, just what they needed,” he added.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
