Arsenal have got their man.
For months the Gunners have been linked with a move for Thomas Partey and whiel things went a bit quiet in recent weeks, as stronger links with Lyon's Houssem Aouar emerged, there remained a long-standing interest in the Ghanaian midfielder.
And as the summer transfer window closed on Monday night, Arsenal confirmed the signing of Partey.
Atletico Madrid stood firm when it came to Partey, unwilling to listen to any offers below Partey's £45million release clause.
And Arsenal paid that release clause on Monday, completing the signing right at the death.
And Edu and Mikel Arteta are both delighted with the signing, telling the Gunners fans what they can expect from Partey at the Emirates.
Speaking to the club's official website, technical director Edu said: "Thomas has all the right attributes to be a top player for Arsenal. He is a leader on and off the pitch and he is exactly the kind of player and person we want at the club.
"We already feel like we know Thomas very well based on the work we have done analysing his performances closely in recent times.
"With his all-round game and positive aggressive style, he will be a brilliant addition to our squad. We’ve made a strong start to the season and we want to continue to build on this with Thomas now part of our club.”
Arteta went on to say: “We have been watching Thomas for a while, so we’re now delighted to add such a high quality player to our squad. He is a dynamic midfielder with great energy. He brings a lot of experience from a top club that has competed at the highest level in La Liga and the Champions League for several years.
"We’re very impressed with his attitude and his approach to the game. He’s an intelligent footballer and we’re looking forward to him integrating into our system and contributing to the progress we’re building at the moment at the club.”
