According to a recent report by Don Balon, Liverpool have already reached out to Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey to try and convince him to make a switch to Merseyside this summer. However, the same source has also revealed that the Reds will face stiff competition from Arsenal and Real Madrid in pursuit of the Ghanaian midfield ace in this off-season.
It is believed that Atletico boss Diego Simeone is pushing to tie Partey down to a new deal as his current contract at the Wanda Metropolitano contains a €50m release clause which would be quite appealing to any of his potential suitors (via Don Balon).
Partey’s Incredible Season Under Simeone’s Expert Stewardship
The 26-year-old has enjoyed a solid season at the Spanish capital after being showered with a lot of praise for his impressive displays over the two legs against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 earlier this year. His incredible contributions at the centre of the park helped the Spanish giants knock the defending champions out of the prestigious competition before the football world came to a standstill as a result of the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Partey has featured in 35 matches for Simeone’s side this term, scoring three goals and providing one assist in all competitions. Even though he has mostly been deployed as a holding midfielder, the Odumase Krobo-born talent has done remarkably well to have a hand in four goals for Atletico this season.
More importantly, Partey has averaged 2.5 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.2 clearances per game in the La Liga and the Champions League this season which highlights his growing influence at the heart of Simeone’s midfield (stats via whoscored). He is currently the skipper of the Ghanaian national team, having netted nine goals in 26 appearances for his country thus far. The Atletico star will once again play a crucial role for Charles Akonnor’s side when the African Cup of Nations kicks off next year.
What Does The Ghana International Offer On The Pitch?
Partey can do a bit of everything at the centre of the park and possesses the pace and the power to cover a lot of ground in midfield. He loves to go in for a tackle so that he can win the ball back for his side. The Ghanaian can use his remarkable upper-body strength to outmuscle the opposition and often comes out on top in the 50-50 midfield duels with the opponent. He packs a lot of power with his shot attempts from long range and is also quite tidy when distributing the ball, as evidenced by his pass competition rate of 84.8% in the Champions League this season (stats via whoscored)
Will Partey Be A Good Choice For The Merseyside Giants?
Partey has no weaknesses in his game as such, which makes a worthy target for Jurgen Klopp to consider during the summer transfer period. He will not only add a bit of bite and steel to the Liverpool midfield but also increase the overall depth of Klopp’s squad.
The Reds have currently got Fabinho as the only natural defensive midfielder in their team. Even though Jordan Henderson has done remarkably well when told to operate in a holding midfield role during the Brazilian’s injury absence, yet he is not a long-term solution in that position. Klopp needs to recruit another quality defensive midfielder to provide more competition for Fabinho, and so Partey fits the bill perfectly.
The Atletico powerhouse is more than capable of competing with Fabinho for a regular starting berth at Anfield. He will also provide Klopp with the option to play with two holding midfielders which will help the Premier League leaders manage games even better in the coming years. With all things considered, Partey will be an excellent acquisition for the Merseyside outfit before the start of the new season.
