Mikel Arteta says he had a special plan for £45m Arsenal star but he’s played just four games

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed that he had different plans for Thomas Partey this season before he got injured.

The Gunners dropped down to fourth in the Premier League table after back-to-back defeats to end last year. They really missed Partey in the games against West Ham and Fulham, and Arteta has admitted that his injury was a ‘huge blow’.

Mikel Arteta says he had a special plan for Thomas Partey at Arsenal

Arsenal signed Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 after triggering his £45 million release clause (Sky Sports).

Everybody expected the Ghanaian to take the Gunners to the next level, but injuries have been really cruel to him over the last three years.

He has missed 63 games for club and country since November 2020, and he has been injured for most of this season as well.

Partey has played just four games for Arsenal this term. The Gunners have really missed him, and Mikel Arteta has now admitted that he had a special plan for the Ghanaian this season that would’ve made his side ‘very versatile and unpredictable’ to play against.

After speaking about Jurrien Timber‘s injury, Arteta said, as per The Standard: “It was a huge blow as well losing Thomas. We had other plans as well with him, to become very versatile and unpredictable in our way of playing.

“We have not had them and that is difficult. We have them in the building, which is a joy. But we have not had them on the field as much as we wanted.”

Arsenal need Partey back ASAP

When he’s fit, Thomas Partey is one of Arsenal’s best players. Oleksandr Zinchenko even branded him as the most underrated player in the Premier League.

Declan Rice has played in Partey’s position since the Ghanaian’s injury and he has been brilliant. Nobody can complain about his performances.

However, if Partey played alongside Rice in Arsenal’s midfield, the Gunners would instantly go up a level and be one of the most difficult teams to play against in the world.

Arsenal really need Partey back from his injury soon, but the fact that he has been ruled out of the African Cup of Nations suggests that he’s still out for a few weeks.