Mikel Arteta Details What Thomas Partey Will Bring to Arsenal

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hinted that he could use Thomas Partey in multiple positions following his deadline day move from Atletico Madrid.

The Gunners paid £45m to activate Partey's release clause on the final day of the transfer window, making him the fourth most expensive player in the club's history.

He is already being hailed as the dominant midfielder that Arsenal have been crying out for for years, and Arteta has praised his new recruit's versatility, experience and quality.

"Thomas is going to give us more versatility in our way of playing," Arteta said, via the Evening Standard. “He can play in two or three different positions when we are able to change formations or game plans against opponents. He will give us something that at the moment we don’t have in the team.

“We need a balance between the young players we have in breakthrough or development phases and others that are at the peak or twilight of their careers.

“Thomas is the right recruit for us in terms of age, his history and career, where he has been educated, the amount of experience he has and the quality that he has to adapt to our game.”

Partey has signed a four-year deal with the Gunners, and Arteta has preached patience with his new recruit as he settles into life in the English top flight following seven years in La Liga.

“There is a lot of expectation, but we have to give players time to adapt,” Arteta added. “The Spanish league and the Premier League are completely different, the style of play of Atletico and ours have some big differences as well.

“What is unquestionable is the quality of the player and the level he has been playing in the last five or six years. That will be a big help. If he has the support of the coaching staff, players and fans that I can see, then obviously the adaptation will be quick."