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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Simon Collings

Why Arsenal want Noni Madueke despite concerns over £52m Chelsea winger

Target: Arsenal are in talks to sign Noni Madueke from Chelsea - (Getty Images)

It would be an understatement to say that the reaction to Arsenal pursuing a deal for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke has not been positive among supporters.

A ‘#NoToMadueke’ hashtag, and even a petition, have surfaced on social media as Arsenal fans voice their scepticism about a potential deal worth in the region of £52million.

The Gunners have had this in the past with signings under Mikel Arteta. The £50m spent on Ben White raised eyebrows at the time, as did moves for Aaron Ramsdale and Kai Havertz.

It is hard, however, to recall a reaction quite like the one that has erupted since news of Arsenal’s interest in Madueke first came to light.

There has been an online backlash against Madueke from a section of Arsenal fans (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal want to sign a winger this summer and they have long needed to bring in competition and cover for Bukayo Saka, who has made more appearances for Arteta than any other player.

Madueke offers a solution in that he can provide cover for Saka, while also being able to operate on the left flank.

The 23-year-old has predominantly played on the right for Chelsea but he finished last season with several appearances on the left.

Indeed, during his Chelsea career, Madueke has played 398 minutes on the left wing in domestic and European competition, with 334 of those coming in the last month of the previous campaign.

Madueke also started on the left wing for England last month, setting up Harry Kane for the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Andorra.

The Chelsea winger is able to play on either flank due to the fact he is two-footed. In the Premier League last season, Madueke had 80 shots - 48 with his preferred left foot and 25 with his right.

The 23-year-old is also a different in profile to Arsenal’s other wingers when it comes to his style of play.

Mikel Arteta has identified Madueke as a player who would bring something different to Arsenal (Getty Images)

Madueke has shown himself to be an effective dribbler and, last season in the Premier League, he finished joint first for progressive carries - which Opta define as moving with the ball at least five metres towards the opposition’s goal - per 90 minutes.

His total distance of progressive carries was just over 3,000 metres. Arsenal’s best-performing winger in this category was Gabriel Martinelli, with a total of just under 2,500 metres.

Madueke has also shown a willingness to make runs off the ball. Only five players made more off-the-ball runs ending in the penalty area in the Premier League last season.

His hunger to shoot is clear, too, which again differentiates him from Arsenal’s current wide options. In fact, only four players in the entire Premier League last season averaged more shots per 90 minutes than Madueke.

He duly ended up finishing the campaign with seven league goals, which was a tally only beaten by three Arsenal players.

Defensively, a non-negotiable under Arteta, Madueke is solid, too. He won 95 ground duels last season in the league, which was only beaten by four Arsenal players.

It all paints a picture of why Arsenal would want to sign Madueke.

He is a dangerous dribbler who gets plenty of shots off, which are two areas the Gunners fell down in last season.

The concerns, however, would be around Madueke’s efficiency and output.

Chelsea are open to selling Madueke this summer (Action Images via Reuters)

He only finished with three assists in the league last season, which is worse than all of Arsenal’s current wingers (Leandro Trossard, Martinelli and Saka).

It is a similar story when it comes to chance creation. Madueke created 32 chances in the league last season. Again, that is less than any of Arsenal’s main options out wide.

Saka, in fact, nearly doubled that tally despite playing around 300 minutes less than Madueke last season.

On crosses, Madueke struggles. He completed just 11 last season, less than, you guessed it, all of Arsenal’s current wingers.

Then there are question marks over the winger’s attitude, which was publicly raised by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca last December.

“The reason why he was not playing is because I do not like the way he trained,” said Maresca. “He has to understand that he has to train every day good. He has to be ambitious.”

It should be noted that Madueke responded to Maresca’s comments by performing on the pitch and Arteta must believe he can get more out of the winger.

There is clearly talent there, as shown by the impressive data around his dribbling.

What needs honing, however, is Madueke’s end product.

At 23, there is still time to shape that, but a £50m fee for a player who does not look like the finished article feels steep.

One could argue it is an indication of the current transfer market, where fees have become incredibly inflated.

Nonetheless, in a crucial summer for Arsenal, it still represents a significant outlay - and one the club simply cannot afford to get wrong

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