Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey is Africa’s most outstanding player in the 2019-20 LaLiga season, according to Sevilla’s all-time top scorer Frederic Kanoute.
Partey, who has been the subject of growing rumours linking him with various European heavyweights, is one of Diego Simeone’s consistent players this term.
The Ghana international has featured in 33 Spanish elite division games for Los Rojiblancos, with 28 of them in the starting line-up - finding the net twice, against Eibar and Valencia.
Despite admitting the choice was a tough one, the former Mali striker claimed the 27-year-old has been the standout African performer in Spain’s top flight, while listing Nigeria and Villarreal youngster Samuel Chukwueze, Youssef En-Nesyri and Andre-Anguissa for honourary mentions.
“It is difficult to answer but there are two players that have impressed me – one is a bit younger and that is [Samuel Chukwueze],” said Kanoute during a LaLiga conference on Monday.
“There is [Youssef] En-Nesyri who scored against [Real Mallorca on Sunday] for Sevilla. I like Baba [Rahman] from Mallorca and [Andre-Frank] Anguissa from Villarreal and Cameroon.
“I have followed all of them and I would say that the one who took a higher and bigger dimension is Thomas Partey.
“He is all over the place in the middle of the park. He has impressed me in terms of his activity, the quality of his passes, recovery and winning so many balls.
“So, I would say Thomas Partey is number one.”
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Partey has established himself as a key figure at Atleti after making his senior debut in November 2015, after completing loan spells at Real Mallorca and Almeria
His notable performances have incited intense transfer speculation, with rumours linking him with Arsenal, and Kanoute claimed he would be happy if Partey signed for the Gunners.
PSG are also monitoring the midfielder, who has a £45 million/$56 million release clause in his current contract, however, the Wanda Metropolitano side are keen on keeping him for the foreseeable future.
Simeone’s men are currently third on the LaLiga log, having accrued 66 points from 36 games – which has sealed their place in next season’s Champions League.
Unbeaten in their last eight games, they are guests of Getafe on Thursday before wrapping up their season with a home fixture against Real Sociedad on Sunday.
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