Thomas Partey has signed for English Premier League club Arsenal from Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid on a long-term deal worth £45m.
The 27-year-old who has been linked with the club throughout the transfer window, played 35 matches for Atletico Madrid in the La Liga last season were they finished third behind Barcelona and Champions Real Madrid.
Partey joined Atletico in 2011 and has won the Europa League trophy (2017-2018), the Super Cup (2018), and played in two Champions League finals – 2014 and 2016.
“We have been watching Thomas for a while,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. “So we’re now delighted to add such a high-quality player to our squad.
“He is a dynamic midfielder with great energy. He brings a lot of experience from a top club that has competed at the highest level in La Liga and the Champions League for several years.
“We’re very impressed with his attitude and his approach to the game. He’s an intelligent footballer and we’re looking forward to him integrating into our system and contributing to the progress we’re building at the moment at the club.”
Partey made his international debut for Ghana in May 2016, and has played 29 matches with 10 goals scored for the Black Stars.
And joining Arsenal means he now becomes the third African international at the club, alongside captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Egypt’s Mohammed Elneny.