Thomas Partey one of the best players in the world, and without a doubt, one of the best defensive midfielders of our time has been linked with a move to the Red Devils, who under a new coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær look to freshen up their squad in a preparation for a next season which promises to be their return to former glory.
MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 02: Thomas Partey of Atletico de Madrid in action during the La Liga match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Girona FC at Wanda Metropolitano on April 02, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Thomas Partey, the 25-year-old defensive midfielder from Ghana has made a name for himself in Spanish LaLiga as an Atletico Madrid player, a club who was his home team since 2012 when he was still in the U19 team. In the years that followed, Partey was loaned out twice. First to Mallorca in 2013 and to Almeria in 2014. After his return from Almeria in 2015, Atletico Madrid decided it’s time for him to join the main team, part of which he remained for all the years that followed. But as the recent transfer rumours suggest, the time might have come for Partey to leave his home team and test his skills in the Premier League. Most recent transfer rumours linked the Ghana midfielder with Manchester United, who are reportedly prepared to bring Partey to their squad. While we cannot know for sure if the transfer will happen, we can safely assume that Partey won’t be a cheap purchase for the Red Devils. He has been described as one of the most complete central midfielders that ever stood on the football pitch. His skillset, positioning, strength, tackles and ability to read the game make him one of the best at what he does, and there are only a few other players who can do what he does on the same level. As far as his most recent performances go, he might not be as spectacular as he is described to be, however, we must keep in mind, Simeone did end up changing the system, which means the players need some time to get used to the tactical tweaks.
When a player of such quality as Partey is in the transfer talks, we can expect more than one big club to express their desire to bring him into the club. And not surprisingly, that’s exactly what happened this time. While most of the world links Thomas Partey to Manchester United, there are also Arsenal and Manchester City lining up with their own offers in hopes to bring the Ghana central midfielder to their squad. With all three clubs in a desperate need for a central midfielder, this could potentially end up in a bidding war, which would only help the value of Partey. As it stands now, his release clause is at €50 million (£43m), which is a fair price to pay for a player of his quality. I believe all the interested clubs would agree with that. But there is one problem that just might see this transfer fall into the water. When asked about the transfer, Thomas Partey expressed his desire to stay at his home club, who by his words know him best. In an interview with Cadena COPE, Thomas Partey stated:
“I’ve grown up in Atletico Madrid and I am sure I will stay here.”
“I don’t know of another place that will understand how I play like they do here.”
If his statements are true, this just might be a huge blow to transfer plans of Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United. On the other side, it’s great news for Atletico Madrid, their fans and Diego Simeone, who as it seems will get to keep their young prodigy and one of the best midfielders in LaLiga. While Atletico Madrid can be relieved Partey will remain at the team, the rumours still haven’t stopped, and we won’t know for sure where he will end up next season, until the end of the summer transfer window.
