Thomas Partey arrived at the Emirates as the most expensive Ghanaian footballer of all time and, at his best, offered qualities Arsenal had been missing for years. He became the closest the club had come to replacing Vieira, providing a midfielder capable of shielding the back four while also carrying the ball effectively under pressure. His ability to win possession and move through tight spaces made him a vital presence, and he also demonstrated his intelligence by stepping into the right-back position when needed and timing his movements well when drifting into midfield. The greatest compliment to him was that whenever he filled in at full back, his absence in midfield was immediately noticeable.Arsenal’s Midfield PhysicalityWhen fit, Partey gave Arsenal a level of physicality that had often been lacking. However, the keyword remained when. Across five years in England, the 32-year-old made more than 24 Premier League appearances only twice, meaning Arsenal saw glimpses of the Atletico Madrid version of Partey but not consistently enough. The irony was that the season in which he finally managed 52 appearances in all competitions was the one in which he entered the final year of his contract.His injury record made it difficult for Arsenal to justify continuing to pay a player over 30 a salary of 200,000 pounds a week. When his agent requested a pay rise, negotiations effectively ended. His performances had been strong enough that an extension might once have been discussed, yet off-field issues made that unlikely.Thomas Partey (Getty Images)The End of His Arsenal TenureMost within football understood that there were significant reasons a new deal was not offered, although the media were unable to report them at the time. While everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, Arsenal also operates as a business. With an employee speaking to police regarding serious allegations, ending the working relationship became a matter of protecting the club’s image.Four days after becoming a free agent, Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty and is on bail until a trial next November.Dan Smith__________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsTop Ten African Gunners – Number 811 December 2025, 9:00Arsenal maintain 100 per cent Champions League record in Brugge10 December 2025, 22:13Confirmed Arsenal team to face Club Brugge in Champions League10 December 2025, 18:45The post Top Ten African Gunners – Number 8 appeared first on Just Arsenal News.