Zinchenko names Arsenal star as the best player in the league in his position

Zinchenko names Thomas Partey as the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League.

Arsenal left-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko recently spoke with Joel Beya and Rio Ferdinand on FiveUK where he was asked who the best holding midfielder he’s ever played with is. Arsenal fans will absolutely love his answer.

Zinchenko has played with Thomas Partey and more recently, Declan Rice at Arsenal. However he’s also played with some of the best defensive midfielders in the world during his time at Manchester City, including Fernandinho and Rodri. The later most recently won Manchester City the Champions League and is in with a shout of winning the Ballon d’Or next year – that’s how good the Spaniard has been in the middle of the park for Pep Guardiola’s side.

However that didn’t stop Zinchenko from picking Thomas Partey as the best defensive midfielder he has ever played with. The Ukrainian thinks Partey is better than both Casemiro and Rodri with the Arsenal midfielder a world class player according to Zinchenko.

Oleksandr Zinchenko on Thomas Partey: “Thomas Partey is the most underrated player in the Premier League I think. Casemiro is an absolutely world class with five Champions Leagues but for me, if I had to choose one, it’d choose Thomas Partey. He’s better than Casemiro.

“I had a debate in my head who is actually the best holding midfielder I ever played with. The debate was between Fernandinho, Thomas Partey and Rodri but Thomas Partey, he’s so good. He has everything.

“Rodri fits perfectly in Manchester City’s system, if you take him out it’s a different City. Rodri is the main detail there because for me that is hardest position to play and Rodri suits them so well, but Thomas Partey is the best for me.”

Thomas Partey is currently playing in an inverted right-back role under Mikel Arteta in the first three games of the season, where he’s had a mixed time getting used to his new position so far. Surely if Partey is world class and as good as Zinchenko thinks he is then he should be starting in his natural position and where we’ve seen his best performances at Arsenal – in front of the defence, starting attacks.