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Arsenal’s transfer target Thomas Partey told Atletico Madrid that he wants to leave to join the Gunners for various reasons, including the fact that he followed the club as a child.
Mikel Arteta is said to have made Partey his primary target as he seeks to rebuild his midfield in the summer transfer window.
The dynamic 26-year-old has starred in Atlético de Diego Simeone as a regular starter for the past three seasons.
But the Ghanaian told Atlético, who hoped to tie him to a new contract, that he wants to move to the Emirates at the end of the season, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Partey has a £ 43 million release clause in his contract and the La Liga club had hoped to tie him to a new deal.
Atlético also have an apparent interest in Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette, who could depart this summer with his contract expiring in 2022.
The Rojiblancos are open to exchanging deals with the coronavirus pandemic that has negatively affected the club and European football in general, and the next window is expected to be quieter than usual.
And Arsenal boss Arteta got a big boost with Partey, making it clear that he wants to move to England.
Although Atlético remains an important player in Spain, despite a below-average season in this period, there is a prominent reason, along with several others, that it wants the change, says The AFC Bell.
They claim that while other members of his family, particularly his siblings, are avid Manchester United fans who regularly saw them on television as they grew up, Partey chose to be different and support Arsenal.
Partey reportedly wanted extra competition with his siblings and therefore decided to support a different club for them.
While he was not immediately passionate about the North London outfit, he apparently soon grew fond of the Gunners.
And the report adds that a source believes Partey would be an admirer of Arteta’s work, as the Spanish coach worked closely with Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City.
Another reason Partey is said to be interested in the move is due to the lure of living in London, where the player’s girlfriend spends a lot of time modeling.
It is believed that he works a lot in New York and London, and that Partey moving to the English capital would allow the couple to spend more time together.
All the members of the Partey national team in Ghana, as well as their friends and family, are believed to support a proposed change to Arsenal.
And The AFC Bell adds that sources hope Partey will have a chance to join Arsenal, after telling Atlético that he wants the move.
But there is no certainty about a change, which may depend on Arsenal’s finances, which will be limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of football in the Champions League in recent seasons.
However, Partey’s love for the club will go well with Arteta, who wants players fully committed to Arsenal.
“By the time we mention Arsenal, Ian, you know what it means around the world,” Arteta told Arsenal legend Ian Wright in an interview on behalf of Adidas.
“Everyone wants to come here and we have a very clear idea of who we are.
“He doesn’t need a lot of conviction and if they do, it’s not a good starting point for me. If I have to convince a player to stay or join us. Arsenal? It stops me a bit.”
“It has to be ‘what do we have to do? I want to play for that club and represent exactly the values of the style of play I want.’ That’s the kind of emotion I want to hear at the beginning.
“The same with the players who are here. Once you finish, what are your feelings towards the club? That’s what really interests me.”
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