Mikel Arteta has no complaints about Arsenal’s work in the summer transfer window, but he does want more.
The Spaniard has his best chance at winning the Premier League title this season, largely thanks to Andrea Berta’s summer transfer window plan.
Arsenal signed eight new players in the summer to bolster the squad in preparation for the 2025/26 campaign, one of whom was Noni Madueke.
Arteta wanted to bring Madueke to Arsenal from Chelsea, seeing the potential the 23-year-old has to offer, but the boss has already made it clear that the winger has a lot to work on.
Change our mind – Noni Madueke will be Arsenal’s most valuable player in five years.
Mikel Arteta wants more from Noni Madueke at Arsenal
The summer signing was given a start at Fratton Park when Arsenal beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup.
Madueke’s performance wouldn’t have wholly impressed Arteta, despite the forward recording two assists.
After that game, and ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup clash with Chelsea, Arteta was asked what he honestly thought about Madueke’s performance.
Give us two positives and two negatives of Noni Madueke’s performance vs Portsmouth 👇
“He was very influential in some aspects, very, very positive,” the Arsenal manager said in his press conference.
“Some other things that we need to improve in terms of consistency, but the level of threat he provides to the team, I think, is remarkable.”
Though Arteta thinks Madueke has been remarkable with his work in the final third, in other areas, he has reason to believe that the £52m man has more to offer.
It’s very clear where Madueke needs to improve
Arteta is spot on, and nobody can argue it.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to assume what Arteta was referring to when stating that Madueke needs to improve.
Agree or disagree, if Noni Madueke improves defensively he can seriously compete with Bukayo Saka.
Madueke isn’t defensively strong, as we’ve seen this season, most recently against Portsmouth, when his defensive lapse on the right side led to Pompey’s opener.
It’s an area that needs improvement, as becomes clear when comparing the former Chelsea ace to Bukayo Saka, Arteta’s dream winger.
Saka doesn’t start every game because he’s on his way to becoming an Arsenal legend, but because he’s so efficient in Arteta’s system that demands defensive nous from everyone.
Madueke is behind Saka in almost every defensive metric in the Premier League, which is actually a good thing, as it shows in black and white what needs to be elevated.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
