Arsenal fans have reacted with delight after the club triggered Thomas Partey’s release clause in the closing hours of the transfer window.
The 27-year-old Atletico Madrid midfielder is on the verge of a £45million move to the Gunners and travelled to London for a medical on Monday afternoon.
The club are racing to complete the paperwork before tonight’s 11pm deadline, but the expectation is the deal will get done and supporters are over the moon with one of their long-term targets finally arriving.
The Ghanaian international will bring a brand of steel to Mikel Arteta’s midfield that Arsenal fans have been clamouring for since the departure of Patrick Vieira more than a decade ago.
His arrival is anticipated to be a crucial part of Arteta’s rebuild, which has seen the club make huge strides in both playing style and resilience over just 10 months.
Supporters had “given up all hope” of a deal being stuck with Atletico, who have been unwilling to enter into negotiations throughout the transfer window, but when the news broke that Arsenal intended to meet his release clause – a process that was completed at around 7pm – jubilation, excitement and optimism abounded on social media.
Here is how Arsenal fans reacted to the news.
Partey has long been seen as the final piece of the Mikel Arteta midfield jigsaw,
And while it may have taken until the final moments of the transfer window to complete, if it does get over the line it will have been worth the wait.
