While flair players are often the ones who take the plaudits for their on-field contributions, the importance of deep-lying midfielders has reached new heights in recent years.
Crucially, this is why Thomas Partey has become one of Europe’s most sought-after players. In turn, that raises the question as to what’s next for the Ghanaian midfielder.
Becoming a World-Class Player
For the entirety of his senior career in professional football, Partey has only represented Atletico Madrid, having progressed through their academy in 2013. Since then, the Ghanaian has played a total of 174 games for the ten-time La Liga champions.
Although the 26-year-old deep-lying midfielder isn’t renowned for his goalscoring prowess, he has found the net on 15 occasions for Diego Simeone’s side, in addition to providing 12 assists.
At the time of writing, much is being made of where Partey’s future lies, having impressed in both legs against Liverpool in the last-16 of this year’s Champions League. Across both legs, the midfielder played the full 210 minutes, which is a testament to how highly he is regarded by Atletico’s Argentine manager.
It wouldn’t be farfetched to say that Partey has developed into a world-class defensive midfielder under Simeone’s guidance, seamlessly filling the void left by both Gabi and Tiago, who were instrumental to the 49-year-old manager’s tactical approach for many years.
The growth of Partey has been evident throughout the 2019-20 season, and, although Atletico has struggled from a domestic standpoint, he has been one of the club’s shining lights.
Moreover, as showcased by his European performances, the Ghanaian is one of the primary reasons as to why the Spanish club was among the favorites to win the Champions League at many of the sports betting markets found at SportsBettingCanada.org.
Premier League Interest
In recent years, Atletico have struggled to keep hold of their star players, with the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa, for example, moving on to Barcelona and Chelsea in previous seasons.
However, Los Colchoneros will be hoping that, despite interest from Premier League clubs, they’ll be able to keep hold of Partey for many more seasons, with TheGuardian.com reporting that Atletico will double the 26-year-old's wage to keep him at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
That said, not only will a new deal entice the Ghanaian to stay in Spain through financial incentives, but an extension to his current contract will also enable the ten-time league champions to raise his existing buy-out fee.
It’s no surprise that the man who has been described as "a one-man wrecking machine" at FootballWhispers.com is seemingly high on the list of priorities for several English clubs, including Arsenal.
On paper, Partey would be the perfect addition to Mikel Arteta’s side, as he would not only offer the ball-winning abilities that the Gunners are desperately in need of, but his progressive passing style would also allow the North London club to break down sides from deeper areas of the field.
Will Loyalty Prevail?
Club loyalty is a trait that is often lacking in players in modern football, but Partey largely owes his career to the former La Liga champions.
While the prospect of playing in England and competing for league titles is undoubtedly an appealing prospect, his allegiance to Atletico and Simeone may be instrumental in the decision making process regarding the next move in his career.