Al Shabab signs Thomas Partey on free transfer from Arsenal

Thomas Partey is heading to Saudi Arabia. Al-Shabab, the Riyadh-based Saudi Pro League club, announced the signing of the 33-year-old Ghanaian midfielder on a free transfer, adding another experienced European-league veteran to a league that has become a magnet for them.

Partey signed a one-year contract after arriving in Riyadh earlier this week. Al-Shabab called him a “world star.”

From north London to Riyadh, with a stop in Spain

Partey spent several seasons at Arsenal, racking up 130 appearances and scoring 9 goals across all competitions before departing on a free transfer in August 2025.

His next stop was Villarreal, where that stint lasted one season, producing somewhere between 25 and 32 appearances across all competitions.

What Partey brings to Al-Shabab

Injuries became a recurring theme during his Arsenal tenure. Muscle problems limited his availability and prevented him from ever fully cementing the kind of consistent run of form that manager Mikel Arteta needed from his midfield anchor. When Arsenal decided not to extend his contract, it was less a statement about his ability and more a reflection of the club’s inability to rely on him week in, week out.

Partey’s experience in the Champions League, Premier League, and La Liga gives the squad a midfield presence that few players currently in the Saudi league can replicate. He has served as Ghana’s deputy captain and represented Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and is preparing for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

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