Ghana international Thomas Partey says he wanted a 'challenge' for himself when he decided to join Arsenal and play in the Premier League.

The midfielder made the move to England in 2020 having been at La Liga side Atletico for over seven years. He joined the North London side in a move reportedly worth £45 million, a move which saw him become the most expensive Ghanaian player of all time.

The 30-year-old is currently playing his fourth season in the Premier League but his time in England has mostly been a shadow of himself in Spain.

Reflecting on what inspired his decision to move to England in an interview with Arsenal's official website, the Black Stars vice-captain said: "Coming here was a big change because I had come from somewhere where I arrived as a youth player, so there was not that expectation on me at Atletico and not the same responsibility.

"When I came to Arsenal, everybody saw the transfer fee, and I was coming to a club that has a lot of eyes on it.

"Everybody knows about Arsenal, the profile, and I had arrived as one of the stars, there to help the team to grow. So it was a big change, and the style of play is different too. All I could do was stay positive, get used to it, and learn to deal with a new situation where everybody expects you to be at your very top level every single day. It was a good learning experience for me.

"One of the reasons I joined though was for that challenge. I know the Premier League is very tough, but I wanted to feel that challenge, to test myself, and feel capable of doing it."

Since the move to the Gunners, Partey has featured 106 appearances times for the club and almost led them to the Premier League title during the 2022/23 season.

This season, the Ghanaian has barely stayed fit but he will be hoping to help the club in the final stretch of the season as they chase the league title once again.