Arsenal are close to completing the signing of Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid after paying his £45.3m release clause.
The 27-year-old Ghana midfielder made 35 league appearances and scored three goals for Diego Simeone’s side as they finished third in La Liga last season.
He played 188 times for Atletico after joining the club in 2011.
Uruguay midfielder Lucas Torreira, 24, has moved in the opposite direction and joined the La Liga side on loan.
Welcome to the Partey! 🥳
👋 @Thomaspartey22#NoThomasNoPartey pic.twitter.com/009Er2kZBK
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 5, 2020
After completing the deal, Technical director Edu said: “Thomas has all the right attributes to be a top player for Arsenal. He is a leader on and off the pitch and he is exactly the kind of player and person we want at the club. We already feel like we know Thomas very well based on the work we have done analysing his performances closely in recent times.
“With his all-round game and positive aggressive style, he will be a brilliant addition to our squad. We’ve made a strong start to the season and we want to continue to build on this with Thomas now part of our club.”
Thomas Partey the dynamic player
Mikel Arteta added: “We have been watching Thomas for a while, so we’re now delighted to add such a high quality player to our squad. He is a dynamic midfielder with great energy. He brings a lot of experience from a top club that has competed at the highest level in La Liga and the Champions League for several years.
“We’re very impressed with his attitude and his approach to the game. He’s an intelligent footballer and we’re looking forward to him integrating into our system and contributing to the progress we’re building at the moment at the club.”
Thomas will wear the No 18 shirt and will join up with his new team-mates next week after he returns from international duty with Ghana.
Everyone at Arsenal welcomes Thomas to our club.
The deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.
