Former Chelsea and West Ham star Joe Cole has defended one Arsenal player who has faced some judgment from fans over the summer.
It came over a period in which the Gunners have been particularly busy in the market, making several changes to the squad under sporting director Andrea Berta.
Arsenal’s transfer business has seen plenty of different problems in the team, across all positions filled by new additions.
While fans have been relatively happy with most of the signings made so far, there was one that appeared to frustrate some.
That being the addition of Noni Madueke, who walked a well-trodden path from Chelsea to Arsenal.
Joe Cole defends Noni Madueke after Arsenal transfer criticism
Noni Madueke’s transfer to Arsenal sparked some mixed views from the Emirates Stadium faithful as it was announced.
For some, it was a case of yet another transfer from Chelsea to Arsenal, while for others it was a clear sign of improving the quality in depth with a player with plenty of potential.
Former Chelsea man Joe Cole has defended Madueke in a discussion with Hayters, stating: “Yeah, I do [think Madueke was treated unfairly]. I think Noni’s a very, very good player.
“I think Mikel Arteta would have watched him. He played games on the left for Chelsea at times last year and really done well because he’s powerful. He can get on the outside.
“Now Martinelli missed games through injury. Trossard, obviously, you know, he scores goals, but you never really you never felt that he was always going to kick on, you know, he was sort of impacting games. So I think it’s a great signing for Arsenal.”
It shows just how highly he is rated, with some hope that he can now kick on and prove himself once again with Arsenal.
Noni Madueke’s signing will take time for Arsenal to feel the impact
Noni Madueke’s signing is one that has perhaps left some Arsenal fans uninspired, as they wanted someone who could raise the level of the team.
While the 23-year-old could hit the ground running, it may take a little bit of time to hit the heights this season.
Arteta has said Madueke may take some time to get up to speed, having spent much of the summer at the Club World Cup, returning with a shorter pre-season period.
On top of that, the value of his work may only be shown when the season is really underway and the games come thick and fast.
With the frantic nature of competing across all competitions, Arsenal will need that player who can offer them quality for the games that matter while rotating out the other stars of the team.
While he may not immediately raise that ceiling, Madueke could prove to be an important player for now and for the future.
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