He will need to get up to speed – Arsenal play at a different pace to Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid – but if Thomas Partey makes the adjustment quickly there is no reason why he can't complete Mikel Arteta's midfield puzzle in style.
The Atletico Madrid supporters did not want to see him go. When they were being run out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig in August most of them were all drawing the same conclusion: this is what happens when Partey is missing.
A thigh strain had prevented him starting and he watched from the bench as Simeone's side were over-powered, out-played and knocked out.