Partey has been linked with a move away.
But Gilberto told O Jogo: The central duo is strong, (Bukayo) Saka is the playmaker, although he seems a little worn out to me. He and (Gabriel) Martinelli are very important up front.
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"But I highlight Rice as a key man, he adapted very well. He's a great boss and I'm looking forward to seeing him play games with Partey.
"I think they could complement each other like Vieira and I."