Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva believes his old side have solved a 12-year problem in signing Thomas Partey.
Mikel Arteta landed the Ghana international in a £45million switch from Atletico Madrid on deadline day last summer.
And despite struggling with injuries, Partey has already proved to be a welcome addition to a Gunners squad looking for a top-six finish.
The 27-year-old believes fans have only seen him at his best on a handful of occasions, with fitness issues limiting his opportunities to impress.
But Gilberto, who was a pivotal part of Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’, believes Partey is the best defensive midfielder Arsenal have had since his departure in 2008.
“I guess so. In my opinion, I agree with you,” he told Stadium Astro. “He’s a good player. He’s the type of player Arsenal were missing, I’ve spoken a couple of times about it.
“They have good players in the [central midfield] position but not to sit and give Arsenal the stability they have.”
Partey played a key role during Arsenal’s 2-1 win over north London rivals Tottenham, helping to close the gap on the Premier League ’s top-six.
Gilberto added that his qualities were also bringing the best out of others, including his midfield partner Granit Xhaka.
“Look at the game [against Spurs] it was great to see how he managed his game, how he managed that position, helping [teammates],” he explained.
“‘You know what is very important about this particular position? This is a very particular position because not every time you get the credit you deserve.
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“That’s okay, it’s fine, because you have to understand that. But this guy, when he understands the position like Partey, look at his game...he made the others a lot better.
“He makes Xhaka look better in the game, he made the defenders look a lot better and comfortable when the ball was against them.
“I think the way he manages games, the way he positions himself, is very important for Arsenal. ‘He is the kind of player Arsenal have needed for quite a long time in my opinion.”
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