Arsenal land Atletico star in dramatic £45m transfer deadline deal
Arsenal have completed the £45million deadline day signing of midfielder Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid on Monday night.
The Ghanaian will finally make a move which has been touted all summer after the Gunners reignited their interest and paid his €50m (£45m) release clause.
Atletico confirmed that LaLiga informed them of Arsenal’s activation of Partey’s clause 32 minutes before the transfer deadline.
A central midfielder has been high on Mikel Arteta’s wishlist in his first summer window in charge with the likes of Lyon’s Housem Aouar and Chelsea’s Jorginho among other possible targets, but with those deals failing to come to fruition, the Gunners returned to Partey.
The 27-year-old becomes Arteta’s fourth new signing of the summer after Willian, Gabriel Magalhaes and Alex Runarsson, while Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares have made their loan moves permanent.
Gunnersaurus out.
Thomas Partey in.A successful transfer deadline day for Arsenal? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/lWiKsKJ7YX
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 5, 2020
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The deal will also be seen as a major coup for technical director Edu, who has taken a leading role in transfers following the departure of Raul Sanllehi.
The Gunners have made an excellent start to the new season, winning three of their opening four league games – their sole defeat coming to champions Liverpool – and reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.