Noni Madueke to Arsenal: Is He a Versatile Winger or Just Saka’s Backup?

Arsenal are reportedly making a £50 million push to sign Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, but with Bukayo Saka firmly established as the undisputed starter on the right flank, questions naturally arise about the logic behind such a high-profile move.

In general, top-level footballers tend to back themselves to break into any starting XI—confidence is a key ingredient in their success. Even when the odds appear slim, elite players often believe they can thrive wherever they go.

However, even the most self-assured would have to admit that displacing Saka is a near-impossible task. The England international is among the world’s best and a vital cog in Mikel Arteta’s system—Arsenal are significantly weaker without him on the pitch.

So, if reports suggesting Madueke has agreed personal terms with the Gunners are accurate, the natural question is: what role does he see himself playing at the Emirates?

Arsenal’s £50m Dilemma – Backup or Long-Term Planning?

Noni Madueke spent 84% of his Premier League minutes last season operating on the right flank for Chelsea—the same position that Bukayo Saka has made his own at Arsenal. If the Gunners are indeed willing to invest £50 million in Madueke, it would make him an exceptionally expensive and highly capable understudy to Saka. While that kind of depth would be a valuable asset, it’s hard to imagine Arsenal spending that much for cover alone.

A few seasons ago, Mikel Arteta set the bar high for Saka, urging him to aim for world-class consistency by performing in nearly every game. Speaking in October 2022, he said, “Look at the top players in the world. They play 70 matches, every three days, and make the difference. You want to be at the top, you have to be able to do that.”

Any concerns about Arsenal overusing their star man haven’t disappeared. In fact, they intensified last season when Saka limped off against Crystal Palace in December and was later sidelined for three months with a hamstring issue. Arsenal struggled in his absence, as he had been overworked and lacked a reliable replacement.

There’s no doubt that Arteta needs someone of quality to rotate with Saka and help reduce his load. However, it’s also worth noting that injuries have rarely kept Saka out for long. Until last season, he had never missed more than five consecutive games in his entire career. In the three seasons leading into 2024–25, he featured in over 82% of available minutes and was in the matchday squad at least 92% of the time.

This raises the key question: is Arsenal preparing for more than just rotation with Madueke?

Could Madueke Solve Arsenal’s Left-Wing Conundrum?

From Noni Madueke’s perspective, leaving Chelsea—where he started 27 of 38 Premier League matches last season—to play a secondary role behind Bukayo Saka at Arsenal doesn’t seem particularly logical.

A more likely scenario is that he sees an opportunity on the left wing, where Arsenal may be in search of either a direct upgrade or meaningful competition for Gabriel Martinelli, who struggled to hit top form last season.

So far, Madueke has had limited exposure on the left—logging just 398 minutes in domestic and European competition during his two years at Chelsea. Despite several underwhelming performances from players like Mykhailo Mudryk (18 starts), Jadon Sancho (16), Raheem Sterling (12), Pedro Neto (9), and Christopher Nkunku (5), both Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca rarely used Madueke on that side.

That changed toward the end of the 2024–25 season, when he appeared to convince Maresca to give him a run on the left. Of his total minutes on that flank, 334 came in the final month of the campaign—including demanding fixtures against Liverpool (72 minutes), Manchester United (81), and Newcastle (45). Additionally, his two starts at the Club World Cup came on the left.

It’s still a small sample size, so any conclusions drawn from those appearances should come with caution. It remains to be seen whether he can maintain that level over an extended run in that role at a club like Arsenal.

However, his underlying numbers hint at real promise. Madueke is among the Premier League’s most ambipedal attackers in terms of shooting. Of all players who took at least 30 non-headed shots last season, very few came closer to an even split between their stronger and weaker foot. Most of those with a balanced profile leaned right-footed—but among those more left-footed than right, only Antoine Semenyo (53.8% left, 46.2% right) had a closer balance than Madueke (65.8% left, 34.2% right).

That versatility could make Madueke a unique asset for Arsenal—one capable of offering depth on both flanks.

Madueke’s Versatility and Impact Across Both Wings

While Madueke prefers playing on the right side where he can cut inside onto his stronger left foot, he’s also comfortable taking the ball wide and attacking from the outside on either flank.

He remains a consistent offensive threat. Last season, among Premier League players with at least 1,500 minutes, only four averaged more shots per 90 minutes than Madueke’s 3.5. He ranked third among non-strikers for non-penalty expected goals per 90 (0.42), trailing only Luis Díaz and Brennan Johnson. Among players with 25 or more starts, only Mohamed Salah (10.5) had more touches inside the opposition’s penalty area than Madueke’s 8.8 per 90.

Interestingly, although the sample size is small, Madueke’s threat on goal didn’t drop dramatically when deployed on the left. His shots per 90 dipped from 3.7 on the right to 2.4 on the left, yet his expected goals remained steady at 0.42. He also managed 7.8 touches inside the opposition box per 90 on the left wing, despite his natural tendency as a left-footer to try to beat defenders on the outside.

Madueke was joint top for progressive carries (defined as advancing the ball at least five meters towards goal) with 6.1 per 90, matching Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke, who generally has more space to carry the ball.

He also led the Premier League in carries ending in a shot, averaging 1.6 per 90. However, this was uneven across flanks—1.7 per 90 on the right but only 0.9 per 90 on the left. This suggests that one of his main strengths—running at defenders, cutting inside, and shooting—is less effective when he plays on the left, even though he is more comfortable shooting with his weaker foot than most players.

Madueke’s Off-the-Ball Intelligence and Value for Arsenal

While Madueke shines with the ball at his feet, he’s equally adept at making intelligent off-the-ball runs to get behind defenders—more reminiscent of Gabriel Martinelli’s style than Bukayo Saka’s.

Last season, only five Premier League players (with a minimum of 1,500 minutes) made more off-the-ball runs ending in the penalty area than Madueke, who averaged 7.7 per 90 minutes. Of those five, only one—Luis Díaz, with 8.6—wasn’t a centre-forward.

Highlighting the effectiveness of his movement, out of 544 off-the-ball runs Madueke made while a teammate had possession, 78 (14.3%) led to a shot by a Chelsea player. Across the entire league (minimum 200 runs), only two players had a higher percentage—and both were from the dominant Liverpool side: Mohamed Salah (15.8%) and Alexis Mac Allister (14.5%).

In the 1-0 victory over Manchester United last May, Madueke played on the left and made two dangerous runs off that flank, both times receiving passes from Cole Palmer. Although he failed to convert those chances, his movement was crucial in creating the opportunities.

At £50 million, Madueke’s valuation aligns with the current market rate for a talented Premier League winger who has already proven himself at the top level. At 23 years old, he is entering the prime of his career, with plenty of potential for further growth.

If he can adapt to playing more regularly on the left while remaining capable of switching back to the right when Saka requires rest, Madueke could prove to be a very valuable addition for Arsenal.

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