Atleti offer to double Partey’s wages to fend off Arsenal pursuit

Arsenal’s quest to acquire Thomas Partey during the summer transfer window took a bit of a hit on Monday, as it was revealed that Atletico Madrid have offered their prized midfielder a new contract that would double his wages and raises his release clause to more than $100 million.

The Gunners were said to be hot in pursuit of the 26-year-old Ghanaian, but Atleti manager Diego Simeone has informed that club’s hierarchy that retaining Partey this summer is of the utmost importance, thus their aggressive attempt to fend off interest from abroad.

Partey’s current release clause is just $54 million, a largely reasonable sum given the direction in which transfer fees have gone in recent years. If it’s not Arsenal who sign him for that much, it’ll be another one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Now, it’s up to Partey to decide his own future — $160,000 per week at Atleti, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $180,000 at Arsenal while having to uproot himself and relocate, or wait for any number of additional suitors in the coming months.

One thing is absolutely certain: it’s good to have options.