“He’s been outstanding recently” – Kevin Campbell names 28-year-old as Arsenal’s ‘most important player’

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell has hailed Gunners' midfield dynamo Thomas Partey as the 'most important player' at the club.

Campbell reckoned that the 28-year-old needed some time to settle at the Emirates following his big-money switch from Atletico Madrid in 2020. Partey has struggled with injuries as well as inconsistent performances.

However, Campbell believes the Arsenal man has been 'remarkable' since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations. Campbell told Football Insider:

“I’ve got a lot of time for Thomas Partey, he’s an incredible midfielder. He’s obviously taken his time to settle. There were a lot of injuries in the early days, his performances were up and down – he himself gave himself a 4/10. But since he’s come back from the Africa Cup of Nations, all of a sudden – he’s been nothing short of remarkable."

Campbell has suggested that a tweak in the system from Mikel Arteta has had a big impact on Partey's game. The 52-year-old has insisted that everyone is starting to see the real worth of the former Atletico Madrid star.

The 28-year-old continues to impress with his all-action display at the heart of midfield. Campbell added:

“They’ve tweaked it at times, pushing Granit Xhaka further forward in that pivot. He’s been outstanding recently and Arsenal’s most important player as far as I’m concerned. Everyone’s starting to see his final form. Protecting the two defenders, excellent on the ball, great passes through to Martin Odegaard, scoring goals. His all-around game is coming through very nicely.”

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Thomas Partey has been excellent for Arsenal of late

Thomas Partey has seen a major improvement in his game in recent weeks and it is no coincidence that the Gunners have also enjoyed a good run of form of late. The 28-year-old was terrific against Leicester City in the Gunners' 2-0 win last week and also made it to the scoresheet.

The Ghana international followed up with an impressive display against Liverpool in midweek. Despite Arsenal losing 2-0 to the Premier League hopefuls, Partey caught the eye in the middle of the park.

The 28-year-old made life extremely difficult for Klopp's side. He won nine ground duels, recorded 100% dribble success, and made three tackles and two interceptions.

Partey has made 24 appearances across competitions for the Gunners this season, scoring two goals and assisting another. Mikel Arteta would be happy that the £45 million-man is finally living up to his true potential. Partey will be one of the cornerstones of the team in the years to come.