Arsenal tracked Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey for around two years, but they only managed to get their man minutes before the transfer deadline closed on Monday night. The London club agreed to pay Partey’s release clause to Atletico Madrid and acquire the 27-year-old player for a fee of $58.8 million.
Reportedly, Partey will ink a four-year deal with Arsenal and is set to earn a weekly salary of $325,000.
Arsenal tried to acquire Thomas Partey several times before, but Atletico didn’t want to drop their asking price. The Premier League side considered some backup options this summer, which included Lyon’s Houssem Aouar and Chelsea’s Jorginho, but eventually caved and returned to Partey.
“We have been watching Thomas for a while, so we’re now delighted to add such a high quality player to our squad,” said Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta. “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.”
Partey spent his entire career with Atletico Madrid, making his professional debut in 2015. He played 188 games with the club and scored 16 goals in all competitions.
In a separate deal, Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira joined Atletico on a season-long loan. The La Liga side will have the opportunity to make the deal permanent for around $25 million.
