Noni Madueke’s coach says he’s already spotted something Gabriel Martinelli isn’t very good at for Arsenal

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The wait to see Noni Madueke in action for Arsenal is almost over, as the Englishman prepares to link up with the squad.

Mikel Arteta rejected Madueke’s plea to cut his holiday short, handing his new signing an extended rest period following the winger’s participation at the Club World Cup.

Despite being on holiday, the 23-year-old has been putting in the work with his personal trainer, preparing himself to hit the ground running at Arsenal.

Members of the Arsenal squad are already excited to have Madueke on board, as the forward gets himself ready to battle for a starting spot in Arteta’s favoured XI. 

Noni Madueke’s coach expects him to start over Gabriel Martinelli 

Without even kicking a ball in red and white, Madueke has picked up criticism, which will only fuel his desire to succeed at the Emirates. 

The £52m signing hasn’t ended his Chelsea career to become a rotation player at Arsenal, as his development coach, Saul Isaksson-Hurst, told Hayters TV in an interview.

“I can’t see him [Madueke] going to Arsenal and being a back-up to Saka, it’s not realistic as a top player, Noni is a first-rate player,” Isaksson-Hurst said.

“I see him playing on the left, playing on the right sometimes if Saka rotates. For me, he’s a starter in that team.”

The development coach, who has worked with some of the Premier League’s best players, went on to give his verdict on the competition awaiting his client at Arsenal.

Isaksson-Hurst identified exactly how Madueke can usurp both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in North London. 

“It’s interesting, because Martinelli and Trossard are good players, very good players with different assets.

“Martinelli, for me, is a really good transition player, maybe not so good in a low block, beating those players. Trossard’s really good in those 1v1s, but can’t run beyond.”

Madueke’s personal coach then insisted that the England international is capable of doing both of those things, admitting he’d be ‘surprised’ if the 23-year-old didn’t become a starter.

“Noni actually gives you both of those assets. He’s so good at ball carrying, he can move at speed with the ball but also break down in 1v1s and 1v2s as well, he’s top. For me, I’d be surprised if he’s not starting on the left.”

How Madueke compares to Martinelli and Leandro Trossard

There’s already a conversation about Arteta needing to drop Martinelli once the competitive action begins.

Madueke’s coach is confident that his player will usurp the Brazilian soon after he’s integrated into the Arsenal squad, which, when looking at the numbers, is a fair expectation. 

The numbers collected from the 2024/25 Premier League season show that, on a per 90 basis, Madueke is more of a threat in wing-play areas than both of Arsenal’s current options on the left.

Arteta’s decision to sign the former Chelsea winger might be a significant turning point for Arsenal’s attack, with an upgrade desperately needed to balance the front three.