Why Thomas Partey would be an ideal summer signing for Man United
According to an earlier report from the Manchester Evening News prior to the January transfer window, Man City had lined up Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey as a potential replacement for Fernandinho. However, a move to the Premier League failed to materialize and the Ghanaian continued to shine for the Rojiblancos.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone believes Thomas Partey is good enough to play for Man City or Man United, with the Argentine tactician claiming that the Ghanaian’s style is well-suited to English football. (h/t Express)
A youth product of Atletico Madrid, Partey made his first-team debut for the Spanish giants back in 2015 and has established himself as one of the key players at the Wanda Metropolitano, accumulating 11 goals and 10 assists from 129 appearances for the Rojiblancos across all competitions. He spent time on loan at Almeria and RCD Mallorca in his earlier days but the 25-year-old has now become one of the mainstays of the club’s midfield.
Standing at 6ft.1 inch with a towering and sinewy frame, Partey is essentially a central defensive midfielder by trade but he has also been in a more advanced box-to-box role due to his work-rate, long-range shooting and quality on the ball. He is exceptionally sharp and agile for a player of his stature and also has wonderful dribbling skills for a defensive midfielder.
Regarded as a hardworking, tough-tackling, all-action midfielder blessed with plenty of tenacity, drive and determination, Partey is adept at controlling the tempo of the game with his wonderful range of passing, whilst also cutting out the attacks with crucial tackles and interceptions.
The Ghanaian midfield enforcer often uses his physicality to outmuscle the opposition and win possession back for his team, while his aerial ability would also make him a good fit for the Premier League.
To put things into perspective, Man United should start pursuing an interest in the 25-year-old in a bid to bolster their squad ahead of the upcoming season. The Red Devils chose not to invest in any marquee signings in January but they are likely to dip into the transfer market next summer to reshape their squad.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival has witnessed the resurgence of several players like Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku, with Unites now playing a more attacking brand of football. Nemanja Matic has done well in a holding midfield role but given that he is already on the other side of 30, United should look to invest in someone like Partey for the long-term.
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Furthermore, they need to decide on the future of Fred at Old Trafford. The Brazilian has struggled to cope with the dynamic nature of the Premier League and offloading him seems to be the best possible option for the Red Devils. That said, United should not hesitate to splash the cash and go all out in their pursuit of the Ghanaian ace in the summer.
