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Arsenal have been a mixed bag since the restart of the Premier League. There have been some promising displays including wins at Southampton and Wolves but the defeats against the likes of Brighton, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City have shown that they still have a long way to go.
It is clear that Mikel Arteta has made some progress with the team in defence and midfield. But Arsenal still need to address their issues in the transfer market and buy players who can play in Arteta’s system.
One of the main areas of concern is Arsenal's poor ball progression and lack of creativity in midfield that is exemplified by the fact that no Arsenal midfielder has created more than one big chance in the Premier League this season. Arsenal need someone who is a bit more forward-thinking and can keep the ball moving as well as provide protection to the defence.
There are many players in Europe who can improve Arsenal's midfield but one player the club has been linked to all summer is Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.
Is Thomas Partey on his way to Arsenal?
Thomas Partey has made 44 appearances for Atletico Madrid this season and was instrumental in their victory over Liverpool in the Champions League. The defensive midfielder is one of the backbones of Diego Simeone’s Atletico, but reports have emanated that he is open to leaving the Spanish capital for the right offer.
Arsenal have been interested in Thomas Partey for some time now, and he is said to be Mikel Arteta’s priority signing in midfield. The Ghanian is currently contracted to Atletico till 2023 and is on a wage of €65000 a week.
Amid interest from other clubs, Atletico Madrid reportedly offered him a 2-year contract extension and to double his wages but Thomas Partey’s entourage considered the new offer 'rubbish' and weren’t interested in signing the extension.
Arsenal have reportedly committed to triple Thomas Partey’s current wage packet and offer him a £200,000 a week contract that would make him the third-highest earner at the club.
Thomas Partey has a £44.8 million release clause in his contract, which could be a bargain in today's market for a player of his quality.
Arsenal, however, may not have the money to afford that and would have to fund the move via player sales or exploring the option of a player swap with Alexandre Lacazette possibly moving the other way.
Atletico may also accept a lower fee for Thomas Partey, as according to Gianluca Di Marzio every Atletico player is on sale for the right offer.
Los Rojiblancos are currently in financial turmoil, and that situation has been compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic. Atletico recently moved to their brand new stadium, the Wanda Metropolitano. Selling players like Thomas Partey may be a way to recoup a part of their massive investment in their stadium.
Thomas Partey even hinted at a move to England in an interview with ESPN last summer. He said:
"The Premier League is a good league, it's very competitive and has some of the best players in the world, Hopefully, one day. I would like to play there. My agents are on it so I will leave everything to them."
Thomas Partey’s father even confirmed in an interview with Ghanaian based radio station Tru FM that Arsenal are in contact with his son. However, it is important to point out that Thomas Partey and his representatives have distanced themselves from those comments. Whatever it may be, it will take a significant effort from Arsenal to get this deal over the line given the level of unknowns present today.
Thomas Partey's style of play
What is known, though, is what Thomas Partey can bring to Arsenal. He is a tough-tackling central defensive midfielder, but it would be a disservice to pigeon hole him as only that.
He is a destroyer and conductor mixed into one while also possessing an incredible engine. His defensive contributions are evident in Simeone’s system, and he is one of the main reasons Atletico Madrid have remained so tight at the back.
Thomas Partey is an incredible ball-winner, averaging 2.4 successful tackles per 90 along with 1.9 interceptions per game made this season. He also averages 8.17 ball recoveries and is also exceptional in defending set pieces as evident in his aerial duel success rate of 67.7%.
From an attacking perspective, Thomas Partey can also recycle the ball forward. He may not be big on goals and assists but can start attacks as is evident in 36 % of his passes going to forwards.
He is also an excellent dribbler and out of all the 247 players in Europe’s top five leagues who have attempted 50+ take ons, Thiago Alcantara is the only player that has a higher success rate than Thomas Partey (86%(.
How Thomas Partey compares with other Arsenal midfielders
It’s been 15 years since Patrick Vieira left a gaping hole in the Arsenal midfield and the club still has not been able to replace the Frenchman.
Thomas Partey may not be able to live up to the stature and impact of Vieira, but the statistics show that he is an upgrade on the options Arsenal currently have.
While Granit Xhaka has proved his worth in Arteta’s new system, he doesn’t have the mobility to get around the pitch defensively or the required discipline. Matteo Guendouzi has had a fallout with Arteta after his antics at Brighton, amidst reports of his poor attitude.
Lucas Torreira, the only true defensive midfielder at Arsenal, has been linked with a move back to Italy, and Dani Ceballos is primed to return to Real Madrid after his 1-year loan spell. Let us take a look at how Thomas Partey compares statistically to the other Arsenal midfielders.
In terms of chances created, Thomas Partey averages a respectable 0.8 per 90 for a defensive midfielder. Comparatively, Dani Ceballos averages the most for Arsenal with 1.5 per 90. Lucas Torreira averages 0.9 per 90 while Guendouzi and Xhaka average 0.7 and 0.6 respectively.
One area where Thomas Partey can improve, though, is his pass completion. His pass accuracy is the lowest of the quintet with 83.1%; Torreira averages 87.9%, Xhaka 88.1%, Guendouzi 88.2% and Ceballos 88.9%.
However, Thomas Partey more than compensates for his underwhelming pass completion with his dynamic dribbling. The Ghanaian's 2.2 successful dribbles per 90 is the best of the lot, with Ceballos next up with 1.6 per 90 followed by Torreira (1.1), Guendouzi (1.0) and Xhaka (0.9).
However, in terms of defensive attributes, Thomas Partey's contribution becomes more apparent. Partey’s 2.5 tackles per 90 are only bettered by Ceballos (2.7). Xhaka (1.8), Torreira (1.9) and Guendouzi (1.7) are all below the Ghanian's stats in this respect.
In terms of tackle success rate, Thomas Partey is better than all of Arsenal's current midfielders, with an impressive 69.4%. In terms of interceptions, he averages 1.6 per 90, which is more than that of Guendouzi (1.5), Ceballos (1.2) and Xhaka (0.7); only Torreira slightly edges Thomas Partey with 2 per 90.
How Arsenal can line up with Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey will add some ‘grit’ and ‘steeliness’ Arsenal have lacked over the years, and here is how Arsenal might line up with him in the squad.
4-2-3-1
Arteta’s preferred shape before the suspension of the league was the 4-2-3-1, and its pretty easy to see where Thomas Partey would fit in this system for Arsenal.
In this system, Thomas Partey would sit in the midfield double pivot alongside Granit Xhaka and behind a more creative player such as Mesut Ozil or Joe Willock.
Partey has played in a midfield-two for Atletico Madrid, so he could fit in seamlessly on the right of the double pivot in midfield. He will be tasked with breaking up the play, starting attacking moves and carrying the ball up the pitch.
4-3-3
Mikel Arteta may wish to revert to a 4-3-3 which is the system that was widely used by Pep Guardiola during Arteta’s stint as Manchester City's assistant manager.
In this formation, Thomas Partey would sit at the base of the midfield akin to the role donned by Fernandinho at City. However, the key to this role is finding two midfielders alongside Partey to act as two number 8s who are capable of creating chances as well as working hard for the team.
Unai Emery tried this system at the start of the season, but the trio of Xhaka, Torreira and Guendouzi struggled in this system. For this system to work, Arsenal would need a more creative player alongside the Ghanaian.
With Dani Ceballos on his way back to Real Madrid and Mesut Ozil no longer finding a place in the squad, Arsenal may have to turn to the transfer market to find a more polished number eight. RB Salzburg’s Dominic Szoboszlai is one player Arsenal have been linked with who can play this role.
3-4-3
Mikel Arteta has played a 3-4-3 system in the past few weeks to improve Arsenal's defensive shape, and this is a system that could suit Thomas Partey. Partey would play in the midfield-two alongside either Torreira or Granit Xhaka, in similarity with the 4-4-2 system he plays at Atletico.
Partey enjoys the freedom to move when he is in a midfield-two and has the stamina to last an entire game as well. This type of player would give Mikel Arteta options to be flexible depending on the opposition and tactical needs in a game.
Arsenal’s form since the restart has shown that they are nowhere near good enough from a personnel standpoint and are in danger of falling behind the other top clubs.
In defeats at Tottenham and Brighton, Arsenal were in crying need of a figure to help regain control in the middle of the park after being run ragged. Arsenal need to add steel and bite in midfield, and Thomas Partey would certainly help in doing that.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have a long rebuild ahead, and it is going to be a slow and painful process. But the signing of the midfield general Thomas Partey could be a step in the right direction to help Arsenal reclaim their winning identity that has gone missing in recent times.
