Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has revealed that the main reason for joining Arsenal was to experience the English Premier League challenge.
Partey has been a pivotal player for Arsenal since joining the club in the summer of 2020, going on to help the London side finish in second place last season.
The former Atletico Madrid midfielder was also instrumental in the club's return to the UEFA Champions League.
"Coming here was a big change also because I had come from somewhere where I arrived as a youth player, so there was not that expectation on me at Atletico, and not the same responsibility. When I came to Arsenal everybody saw the transfer fee, and I was coming to a club that has a lot of eyes on it," he told Arsenal's media.
“Everybody knows about Arsenal, the profile, and I had arrived as one of the stars, there to help the team to grow. So it was a big change, and the style of play is different too. All I could do was stay positive, get used to it, and learn to deal with a new situation where everybody expects you to be at your very top level every single day. It was a good learning experience for me.
“One of the reasons I joined though was for that challenge. I know the Premier League is very tough, but I wanted to feel that challenge, to test myself, and feel capable of doing it. My agent supported me a lot, and my parents, and also everybody at the club was great for me. You have to stay positive, learn from everything that happens, and just control the things that you can.”