Thomas Partey

Thomas Partey joined Atlético's academy from Ghana as a teenager. After loans at Mallorca and Almería he returned to the first team in 2015 and gradually became one of the most complete midfielders in Spain.

The anchor

Powerful, tireless and good with both feet, Partey could win the ball, carry it forward and shoot from distance. He played in the run to the 2016 Champions League final, and by 2018 he was a regular in the side that won the UEFA Europa League in Lyon and the UEFA Super Cup in Tallinn.

Legacy

In October 2020 Arsenal paid his release clause on the last day of the transfer window, and he left Madrid after more than 130 league games. He is listed among the champions of 2020–21, the season that began with him in the squad. For the academy he remains a model: a player who arrived young, waited for his chance and became a star.