Jamie Redknapp is confident that Thomas Partey has what it takes to become one of the best players in the Premier League despite his rocky start to life at Arsenal.
The Gunners signed the Ghanaian from Atletico Madrid in the summer after triggering his release clause late into the transfer window.
He had built a reputation as one of the finest box-to-box midfielders in the world while he played for Atleti.
When he moved to Arsenal, the club’s fans and football lovers around the world were confident that they had secured a major signing.
However, his first campaign in England hasn’t been as good as expected with injuries limiting the games he played and Arsenal languishing in mid-table.
He would get the chance to have a proper pre-season with the squad in the summer and Redknapp says the jury is still very much out on him before backing him to prove his worth next season.
He said on Sky Sports as quoted by Sun Sports: “It’s been tough for him, he’s had injuries, it’s been his first season in the Premier League and we have to give people time.
“Some just come to the league and they just thrive. Others find it really difficult. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“There have been games where I watched him and thought I would have hated to play against him. He’s got all the attributes.
“But there are other times when he gets into what I would call ‘Arsenal mode’.
“I don’t want to see him like that, I want to see him high energy in that midfield running games. Next season that is what he needs to do.
“He needs to come into next season absolutely flying because his performances have been too up and down for my liking.
“But next year we will see the real Thomas Partey.”