Manchester City opinion: Why Man City should sign Thomas Partey
According to Spanish publication AS, Manchester City are keeping tabs on Atletico Madrid’s defensive midfielder Thomas Partey.
The defending Premier League champions are looking for a mid-term replacement for Fernandinho and Pep Guardiola has identified Partey as a player capable of filling that role.
The Ghanaian skipper has been one of the very few positives that Atletico can take in an otherwise poor season. His partnership with Rodrigo in the midfield has been solid for Los Colchoneros.
Partey’s contract has a clause, which will make him available for €80million this summer and according to AS, Atletico
Having joined Atletico as an 18-year-old in 2011, Partey only made his first-team debut in 2015 but has since made over 130 appearances for the club in all competitions and has scored 10 goals.
The Ghanaian has the ability to be both a wrecking machine and a delight to the eye. Partey is defensively a tank and possesses the ability to bully his opponents to regain possession. But with possession, the 25-year-old has the ability to pick out a pass or drive through the midfield to cause serious damage to the opposition.
The Premier League’s physicality would be more of a joy for Partey rather than a problem and the English fans will love his work ethic on and off the ball. Partey’s composure on the ball in tight areas will be very important for Manchester City, whose whole game plan depends on possession.
The 25-year-old’s versatility has also been evident in recent years, especially in last year’s Europa League semi-final against Arsenal where he had to move to the right-back role after Sime Vrsaljko’s early red card.
One trait of Partey’s which is similar to Fernandinho is his ability to shoot from distance. The Ghanaian has a killer right foot and is a massive threat to the opposition from outside the box.
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Conclusion
Partey would be a very good fit in Manchester City’s midfield and could improve massively under Pep Guardiola. Still only 25, Partey has the potential to replace Fernandinho at the Etihad and with the Brazilian turning 34 in a couple of months, a need for a new defensive midfielder is massive.