Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Chelsea winger Noni Madueke this summer and have been in talks surrounding a deal.
The Gunners want to add more depth at the winger positions after a season where Bukayo Saka suffered a damaging hamstring injury, which kept the Gunners’ talisman out of action for around three months.
Furthermore, Gabriel Martinelli has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, meaning that the Gunners may be forced to replace the Brazil international too.
In recent days, Chelsea winger Noni Madueke has emerged as a strong target for the Gunners, with reports saying that Arsenal are preparing to make a bid for the England international following the conclusion of the Club World Cup.
It has been said that Madueke is expected to cost around £50m, but it is not yet clear whether Chelsea would be willing to sell the 23-year-old to rivals Arsenal.
There is nothing wrong with Noni Madueke, lets start with that. He is a young, dynamic winger, who has plenty of pace, and at time has shown real quality for Chelsea and England.
However, throughout the season, Madueke lacked the consistent performances that a title-chasing team like Arsenal are looking for. In the middle part of the year, the Chelsea star kind of went missing, amid rotation between him, Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho.
Instead of targeting Madueke, Arsenal should consider Aston Villa star Morgan Rodgers, who they have also been linked to this summer. Last season, Rodgers made 54 appearances for Villa, scoring 14 goals and providing 15 assists. Compared to that, Madueke made 44 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 11 goals, but providing just five assists.
Seeing as Arsenal’s priority signing this summer is a striker, why not bring someone in that has a great track record at setting up a striker (Rodgers setting up Ollie Watkins at Villa), but can also chip in with plenty of goals himself.
Rodgers’ passing ability is better than Madueke, and so is his shooting. Furthermore, he is incredibly versatile, and is also one year younger than the Chelsea star. Arsenal have been linked to R0dgers, alongside Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City, and the Villa star is expected to cost around £90m.
