As per a report by Manchester Evening News, Manchester City are keeping close tabs on Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.
The reigning Premier League champions have enquired about Partey and are considering him as a potential addition in the January transfer window.
Partey is no longer an undisputed starter under Diego Simeone. The arrival of Rodri from Villarreal in the summer and the presence of Koke and Saul Niguez have pushed Partey down the pecking order.
Partey – Fact File
Partey came through the youth ranks of Atletico Madrid before getting into their first team, with loan spells with Mallorca and Almeria helping him in the process.
The 25-year-old has represented the Ghana national side on a number of occasions and has a good amount of international experience under his belt as well.
Partey is a versatile midfielder and is capable enough to ply his trade at the right-back too. It is the element of directness in his play that has earned him rave reviews from the football fraternity.
Partey’s proficiency on the pitch is primarily due to his ability to cover space in the blink of an eye, choose the right passes, and his ability to drive forward when his team needs him to do so.
The Ghanaian has featured 14 times in the Spanish Primera Liga so far this campaign. In the process, he has managed to score 2 goals and muster 2 assists, and his pass completion rate of 85.8% is more than decent for a midfielder.
The ideal defensive midfielder for Guardiola
Fernandinho is the only natural holding midfielder Guardiola has at the moment and in his absence, Manchester City have suffered more often than not.
To add to their misery, Liverpool have opened up a bit of a gap and Guardiola needs to bring in reinforcements this month to ensure City don’t go through another lean spell.
Manchester City do need an influential midfielder who has the calibre of recovering possession and Partey is the player to do that. In Partey’s presence, Guardiola’s side should be able to play without the fear of having to look back at the opposition attackers breaking on the counter.
Partey’s impressive heading ability make him superior in the air as well.
The acquisition of the Ghana international could turn out to be a boon for the Sky Blues as their game depends on the passing prowess of their personnel and recovering the ball quickly. At the age of 25, Partey would also be a long-term solution for Manchester City.