At a Glance:
- Noni Madueke has underwhelmed since his move to Arsenal.
- Arsenal must be disappointed about Madueke’s impact at the club.
- Mikel Arteta’s side would rather have signed another Premier League winger last summer.
It’s safe to say that Noni Maduke’s move to Arsenal has been anything but a success as the winger has failed to have much of an impact at the Emirates Stadium since his departure from Chelsea.
Madueke has been Arsenal’s weak link among others in attack as the Englishman has failed to prove his status as an able deputy to Bukayo Saka.
Mikel Arteta’s side are sorely missing Saka’s creativity and knack of getting goals in the final third but the 24-year-old has suffered a number of ill-timed injury woes this campaign.
Madueke’s measly tally of two goals and one assist in 14 Premier League starts sums up how ineffective he has been since heading to North London.
| Noni Madueke this season | Stats |
| Starts | 14 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 1 |
Considering Arsenal are interested in signing Rayan, they must regret not making a move for him in the summer of 2025.
Arsenal should have signed Rayan instead of Noni Madueke
Since joining AFC Bournemouth in January, Rayan has cemented his status as one of the most exciting young wingers in Europe.
From Arsenal’s perspective, what should worry them is that the 19-year-old has already outdone Madueke statistically in the Premier League, providing two goals and assists apiece in 10 appearances.
The Gunners spent £48.5 million (BBC Sport) to secure the former PSV Eindhoven wideman’s services and in comparison, Bournemouth paid just £24.7 million (ESPN) to sign Rayan.
Madueke’s experience of playing in England has not counted for much compared to the youngster. Rayan can also take on defenders for fun but where he pips Madueke is in his ability to generate shots, put in inch-perfect crosses and combine astutely with left-back Adrien Truffert.
Speaking to Transfermarkt, Thiago Koloski, the highly-rated dribbler’s former coach also highlighted his outstanding physicality and went on to liken him to the legendary Adriano, saying: “Rayan is a spectacular player. I worked with him before he became a well-known player. He has a fantastic physique that reminds me a lot of Adriano. But he has a difference that I really like, which is that he also plays on the wings and cuts inside. That makes him very different.”
Madueke’s half-time substitution against Manchester City highlights how Mikel Arteta views him and in Rayan, Arsenal would have had their hands on a winger with a higher ceiling than the former had they signed him.
Rayan’s market value
As per Transfermarkt, Rayan’s current market value stands at €40 million (£34.7 million).
However, it seems likely that if Arsenal try to offer Bournemouth such a fee in the summer to sign him, they will be unable to land their man.
Madueke will ultimately need to get his act together in the final stretch of the season to justify being signed for £48.5 million.
Otherwise, all Mikel Arteta and Arsenal can do is persist with the Englishman but as things stand, the signs do not particularly positive.
