Granit Xhaka Welcomes Thomas Partey’s Arrival At Arsenal

Arsenal’s Swiss international midfielder Granit Xhaka has spoken of his delight at the arrival of Ghana’s Thomas Partey to the Gunners’ midfield. The 27-year-old, who signed on deadline day from Atletico Madrid, will add “good balance” to Mikel Arteta’s team, according to Xhaka. It’s a balance that has been sorely lacking from the Arsenal midfield for several seasons, with some fans claiming that Partey is finally the Patrick Vieira replacement that the team’s been crying out for.

Xhaka has received plenty of criticism in recent years for his lack of defensive mentality, leaving the Gunners’ backline sorely exposed when it matters. However, Xhaka believes Partey will be “very important for him”, taking on more of that defensive responsibility and allowing him to do more damage further up the field. Xhaka also noted Partey’s “mentality to win” having been a part of Diego Simeone’s rock-solid Atletico side for the last five years.

Xhaka acknowledged that Partey had been used to playing “a different type of football” under the tutelage of Simeone, with Atletico well-renowned for their rigid structure and defensive style. The Swiss believes Partey’s arrival will aid the Gunners’ ability to “struggle” through in tight games and grind out narrow victories that can be the difference between a top-four finish and not.