Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is down by one place on the list of the most expensive signings at the Emirates Stadium after the Gunners completed the signing of English defender Ben White on Friday.
Ghana national team vice skipper Partey became the fourth most expensive Arsenal signing when the North London club paid the €50m (£45m) release clause in his then Atletico Madrid contract to secure his transfer during last summer's transfer window. Ghana midfielder Partey was less costly than just three players namely Nicholas Pepe, Pierre-EmerickAubameyang and Alexandre Lacazetteas at the start of this summer. However, the Ghana international has dropped from fourth to fifth most expensive signing at Arsenal with the arrival of White from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey will join the rest of his teammates on Thursday according to the Ghanaian Football Association (GFA). The Ghanaian football body was forced to release a statement on Parteyon Monday following reports that the player had been expelled from camp by Ghana coach Charles Akonnor ahead of the international friendly clash between Ghana and Morocco on Tuesday.
The statement from the GFA has now confirmed the situation of things as regards Partey. It was revealed that the Ghana vice-captain was given permission to miss the Morocco friendly for him to attend to some personal issues.
While it's not always certain that a good player will be able to make an instant hit or impact after leaving a particular club and League for another, it is rather becoming a regularity to see even great players fail to live up to expectations. This has been the case of Ghanaian international midfielder Thomas Partey since arriving at Arsenal from Spanish La Liga side Atletico Madrid last summer.
The combative midfielder decided to quit Spain and left the Rojiblancos in favor of a move to the English Premier League to join Arsenal. After completing the transfer to the Emirates club last summer, the hopes of Arsenal fans rose very high. They thought they had completed a marquee signing and could not wait to see him start his career at the club.
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has hardly played for the Gunners since his big money transfer last summer. The Ghana international has struggled with a thigh injury for the majority of his time at Arsenal whom he joined when they paid the release clause in his Atletico Madrid contract last year. Arsenal paid €50m (£45m) to sign the Ghana midfielder to make him the fourth most expensive signing in their history behind the attacking trio of Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-EmerickAubameyang and Nicholas Pepe.
Thomas Partey made his debut for Arsenal as a late substitute in the Premier League defeat at Manchester City. The Ghana player couldn't do anything as Raheem Sterling scored the lone goal of the game in the first half to condemn the Gunners to their second league defeat of the season.
Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell believes the Gunners should prioritise the signing of Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid this summer. The Ghana international has been touted to join the north London side over the past few months, but the club have yet to finalise a deal for his services.
Former Ghana international Nii Odartey Lamptey has advised Thomas Partey to stay put in the Spanish La Liga rather than pursuing a move to England or Italy. The 26-year-old has developed into a key player for Atletico Madrid over the past few years but reports have emerged that he could favour a move to Arsenal at the end of the season.
Ghana international Thomas Partey has revealed that his representative has already opened talks with Atletico Madrid regarding a new and improved contract. The midfielder is presently tied to the Spanish giants until the summer of 2023 but negotiations are already underway over an extension amid the speculated interest from the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United.
Ghana international Thomas Partey has said that the Black Stars need more than just expertise in order to end their long wait for the African Cup of Nations. The West African nation have failed to win the competition in the past 37 years but they are hopeful of breaking the rut when Africa’s best collide in Egypt this summer.
Speaking to reporters, Partey, who is currently with Atletico Madrid at the club, said that the team require skills, luck and unity, if they are to make a strong case to win the continental competition, he said: “To win a tournament like AFCON sometimes quality alone is not enough. We have to be able to sacrifice and go the extra mile and with that and a little bit of luck, I am sure we will emerge victorious. Unity and working for each other will be vital because we have got the quality of players already so we all have to on the same page. This will be my second major tournament with the team so it's hard to tell what has been wrong in the past but we need to be united.”
Ghana international Thomas Partey has urged his teammates at Atletico Madrid to end the season on a high. The Spanish outfit are nine points behind leaders Barcelona at the top of the league standings and their prospects of winning the title seems improbable unless the Blaugrana suffer a string of shock defeats.
As such, it is pretty much confirmed that the Catalan giants will be crowned the Spanish champions in a few weeks’ time but Partey does not want the same to hamper his team’s performances, he said: “We want to win the games that we have left. We always go strong and we are happy with the victory. Now we have to think about the next match against Valencia on Wednesday against our fans. We have to win our games because we only have to be up if we win. That’s why we try to win all the games to add all the possible points until the end.”
Ghana international Thomas Partey has said that the eight-match ban given to Diego Costa seems unfair. The Atletico Madrid striker was handed a straight-red card during the recent league defeat to Barcelona on the roadafter he was found bad-mouthing about the mother of referee Jesus Gil Manzano.
As such, La Liga sanctioned an eight-game suspension for the Spain international, but his teammate Thomas believes the punishment is unfair and Atletico should appeal against the decision, he said: “I just heard it, I think it's too much. I think it's too much, it isn't fair and I hope we talk to them and they lower their sanction, because of the circumstances. Everything depends on the occasion and everyone has their own ways of doing things, maybe he has not acted well here, but for me, there are too many games for him and for the whole team.”
