Trippier says Partey would ‘fit in perfectly’ in PL amid Arsenal links

Will Ford
Kieran Trippier Atletico Madrid Arsenal

Kieran Trippier thinks his Atletico Madrid team-mate Thomas Partey would “fit in perfectly” if he moved to a Premier League club this summer amid Arsenal speculation.

A report on Monday in Spain claimed that Arsenal ‘will pay the clause’ to bring Partey to the Emirates Stadium with a deal ‘close’ after the Gunners had been previously linked with the 27-year-old.

The Gunners’ engine room is considered an area of relative weakness, with Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira often failing to provide adequate cover for a vulnerable defence.


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When Trippier was asked to compare Partey to former Tottenham team-mate Mousa Dembele, he told The Beautiful Game Podcast: “I’d seen him play for Atletico but I didn’t realise how good he is. It’s unbelievable, his physicality, how he breaks up play. Technically, he’s got everything.

“He ranks as one of the best midfielders I’ve played with but Mousa is Mousa, he’s on a different planet. Even in training he’s just in cruise control.

“Ask anybody who has played with him and they’ll say Mousa Dembele. That’s how good he was. It was frightening. But Thomas is still very young and everybody loves him out here.”

Trippier added: “Going to the Premier League… who knows? Obviously I want him to stay here because he’s a valuable member to our team. But I feel like he speaks perfect English. I don’t think he’d have a problem with the Premier League.”

 

On whether Partey had asked him about the Premier League, Trippier continued: “Not really. Obviously everybody watches the Premier League, even out here you watch games. It gives me a good opportunity to watch nearly all the games out here now.

“But no, they just ask me what it’s like, the style of play, a few players have. It doesn’t mean that they’re leaving by the way!

“They ask about certain players who play in the league, what it’s like and I just say… the Premier League is the Premier League. It is one of the best leagues in the world. But Thomas… he’ll fit in perfectly in the Premier League.”