Atletico Madrid have no plans on dealing with Arsenal again in the near future after the Gunners failed to give the La Liga giants notice over their intention to activate Thomas Partey’s release clause.
The 27-year-old completed a move to Emirates on deadline day, with Arsenal confirming the £45m deal after the transfer window had closed.
Partey’s release clause means Arsenal needed only to activate the clause and it didn’t require negotiations with Atletico.
However, it’s courteous to give the club notice so that they have time to prepare to sign a replacement or to even make a last-ditch attempt to convince the player to stay.
But the Athletic claim Atletico are ‘furious’ with Arsenal as they failed to give notice and a source says the partnership between the clubs is ‘irreparable’.
Reports in Spain claim Arsenal activated the clause just 32 minutes before the deadline closed.
Partey has more than quadrupled his wages by signing for Arsenal as he’s set to earn £250,000-a-week at the club.
The Gunners have also paid around £2m to the Ghanian’s representatives and had to pay the £45m fee for Partey in a lump sum.
Lucas Torreira joined Atletico on deadline day but the club do not have an option of signing the midfielder in his contract and it’s likely now that they will not bother given the damage that the Partey deal has done.
Once salary and agent fees are accounted for, Partey’s four-year deal at the club is set to cost the Gunners around £91m.