Black Stars head coach Chris Hughton has described midfielder, Thomas Partey as a “wonderful player” who is playing a huge part in Arsenal’s success this season.
Hughton also described the 29-year-old as a “continuation player”.
He said this during his official unveiling as Black Stars head coach on Monday at the SG Mall in Kumasi ahead of the team’s first leg 2023 AFCON qualifier against Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Thursday.
Partey has starred for the Gunners as the London side holds an eight-point lead in the English Premier League standings with 10 games remaining in the season.
However, the former Atletico Madrid midfielder’s performances for the Black Stars have been widely criticized as average and far from the kind of form he has shown for Mikel Arteta’s team.
“I think he’s a wonderful player who is playing at an Arsenal team at the moment, he is playing a huge part in their success at the moment…Thomas’s role has always been hugely important to the managers that pick him and this is why at international level and at club level, he’s always been in the team because of his value to the team.
Sometimes [for] that type of player, his value to the team for what we see as coaches, is not seen outside because of the particular role they play,” he said.
Partey has been called up by Hughton for the games against Angola and is expected to start.