Arsenal's defender Oleksandr Zinchenko has certainly caused a bit of a stir with his recent comments. The Ukrainian player has not held back, choosing to overlook the likes of Casemiro, Rodri, and even Fernandinho, and instead, he's emphatically praised his fellow Gunner teammate, Thomas Partey, as "the best holding midfielder I have ever played with."
During an exchange with former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, Zinchenko was asked to weigh in on whether he believed Casemiro outshone Arsenal's Ghanaian international. Zinchenko's response was unequivocal: "I don't want to say something bad. Casemiro is a world-class player, with five Champions League titles. But if I had to choose, it would be Partey."
Reflecting on his own internal debate, Zinchenko revealed his thoughts about the top-tier midfielders he's encountered, mentioning names like Fernandinho, Rodri, and Partey. "It's a tough one. I watched Fernandinho when he was at Shakhtar, and he helped me so much. I love him like an older brother," he conveyed on Ferdinand's 'FIVE' YouTube channel.
Partey, a pivotal signing for Mikel Arteta at Emirates, made his move to the Premier League club in 2020 from Atletico Madrid for a substantial €50 million. Since then, he has emerged as a cornerstone of the team, accumulating over 100 appearances in various competitions.
This season, the versatile midfielder has been given a new role by Arteta, occupying the position of an inverted right-back in the initial three matches. With this strategic move, Zinchenko believes Partey, who he insists "has all the attributes," will be facing a new challenge when he takes on Casemiro and Manchester United in the upcoming match on Sunday, rekindling the age-old rivalry.
Partey, who was Mikel Arteta's first big signing at Emirates, joined the Premier League club in 2020 from Atletico Madrid for €50 million and has since become a mainstay for the Spanish manager since then, making over 100 appearances for the club across all competitions.
The midfielder, who Zinchenko believes "has everything", has been playing a new position this season, with Arteta putting him in as an inverted right-back in the opening three fixtures - and it remains to be seen how he'll fare when he faces Casemiro and the Red Devils on Sunday as the old rivals face each other once again.
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