Arsenal legend believes Thomas was held back at Atletico

Was Thomas Partey was wasted at Atletico Madrid because of the way Cholo played? That's what Arsenal legend Ian Wright believes. The team took the player on the last day of the market for 50 million euros. He commented on this in an interview with 'Metro'.

"At Atletico, he played in a different way, but I think they were repressing his game because he is the kind of midfielder who is different, not just one of those destroyers of the rival's game. He's just the opposite, one of those footballers that is exciting to watch," he said.

He praised the current board for bringing him on board: "I think when you look at the transfer of Thomas Partey, it's the kind of transfer we should be doing at the club. We're not talking about a midfielder who people might think is just a stopper and a destroyer of the game, but one who is capable of passing the ball and moving it into the opponent's goal.

He also outlined how he will fit into Arteta's scheme: "He will carry the ball into dangerous areas, he can move the ball or pass it, hopefully he can activate the right side as much as the left side of Arsenal. With him, Mikel Arteta can do whatever he has in mind, whether it's possession or playing on the counter, because the team has to be deep because we have quality in attack to do damage".

"Because you can't have a player like Aubameyang scoring two goals in one game, and then in another game he is totally isolated. So, now you have a midfielder like Thomas who can, along with someone like William and hopefully Pepe, create more forward movement," he concluded.