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Noni Madueke is ready to shock Arsenal supporters
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 18 Jul 2025 17:24 BST
- 11 min read
Analysis
Arsenal’s latest summer signing has been confirmed as Noni Madueke.
The England international winger has joined the Gunners on a deal worth €60 million, making him the club's fourth arrival of the summer.
He has received a distinctly frosty welcome from some supporters.
Current ETV
Noni Madueke
M, AM (R)
Chelsea
Noni Madueke
M, AM (R)
Chelsea
ETV Range
€47.1M - €57.5M
Indeed, according to a poll conducted by Sky Sports, around 70% of Arsenal fans did not want to see their side sign Madueke. That, however, is exactly what sporting director Andrea Berta and manager Mikel Arteta have done.
Madueke, though, has shown signs that he could be moulded into a very useful weapon for the Gunners.
Why Arsenal fans are concerned by Madueke signing
One of the principal reasons why Arsenal supporters seem concerned by the arrival of Madueke is the €60 million (£52m) price tag associated with his signing.
Certainly, this appears a little high. Madueke has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €51.5m, suggesting Arteta’s side have paid over the odds, but not wildly so.
This worry goes hand in hand with concerns over his output last season. The former Tottenham youth only contributed 11 goals and four assists to the Blues, which is hardly a stellar record given that he could potentially block the development of Gunners youngster Ethan Nwaneri, who is poised to sign a new deal for the club.
His form was inconsistent, and he was notably wayward in his finishing. According to FBRef, his xG underperformance was the sixth-biggest in the Premier League.
Perhaps Madueke’s biggest crime, however, is that he called Chelsea the “biggest club in London” shortly after joining the Blues.
So why did Arsenal sign Madueke?
Arsenal need cover on both wings and Arteta sees potential in the England winger to do this. Primarily, though, the manager needs a replacement for Bukayo Saka, who faces being run down with the sheer volume of minutes he has played in recent years. Injuries haven’t taken their toll on the Gunners’ ace yet, and the aim is to make sure they never do with a sensible rotation strategy.
Madueke, like Saka, is an extremely dangerous dribbler. He boasted the second-highest tally of progressive carries in the Premier League last season and with a little more composure in front of goal would have scored far more regularly. Arteta will seek to improve him in this regard.
“Noni Madueke is one of the most talented wide forward players in the Premier League," the Arsenal manager explained as the signing was announced.
“At just 23, Noni brings experience of club and international football. Having seen the quality of Noni’s performances up close, we’re really excited”
Indeed, the ceiling that Madueke possesses is high. Last season, he already displayed a strong level, with data analytics firm SciSports indicating that he was among the best wingers in England statistically last term.
Noni Madueke vs Premier League wingers: Overall performance (2024/25)
How much better can he get? The answer for Arsenal fans is ‘a lot’.
Although he’s not yet considered the calibre of a starter at the Emirates – and remember he’s only joining as a replacement – SciSports believes he has the potential to become an established first-team regular.
Yes, there are still creases in his game to iron out and, no, he’s not got the pedigree of Real Madrid's Rodrygo, who the Gunners were also linked with. What Madueke does have, though, is a high ceiling and if there's one man who can get the best from the winger, it's Mikel Arteta.
