Inside Noni Madueke's bright start at Arsenal - from Bukayo Saka approval to Martin Odegaard jokes | OneFootball

The winger is back on song as he faces former club Chelsea for the first time

In Noni Madueke’s case, one of those people was Bukayo Saka — and he gave Mikel Arteta a glowing reference.

Madueke and Saka have been friends for years after first crossing paths when they played against each other in academy football.

Their fathers are friends, too, and the fact Saka championed Arsenal signing Madueke spoke volumes.

Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Other players could be wary about their club signing a player who would be competing with them for minutes.

Saka, however, believed that Madueke would make the squad — and himself — better by adding more competition.

It certainly seems to have been the case. These are still early days, however Madueke returns to his old club Chelsea today having made an impressive start to life at Arsenal.

The first few weeks proved bumpy because of a backlash online. The hashtag #NoToMadueke gained traction, while over 5,000 people signed a petition calling for Arsenal to pull out of the deal.

Arsenal and Arteta were not fazed by that, pushing ahead with a move that was worth an initial fee of £48million.

“If anything it gave me more conviction and more will to help him, and do everything we possibly could to make his relationship work and to prepare everything around him in the best possible way,” said Arteta.

“I think that lasted a short period of time and immediately we had complete the opposite reaction which I think he valued, respected and it was like fuel to him.”

Madueke was a player Arsenal had admired for some time before they swooped for him this summer.

Given he is 23 and an England international, the club believed the fee was a good price and felt Madueke could add something different to Arsenal’s attack.

I almost have to force him to have a day off because he just wants to train

Saul Isaksson-Hurst

The recruitment team especially liked his ability to take players on in one-on-one situations using his pace and power.

In the Premier League last season, Madueke was joint first for progressive carries — which Opta define as moving with the ball at least five metres towards the opposition’s goal — per 90 minutes.

His hunger to shoot was clear, too, which again differentiates him from Arsenal’s current wide options.

In fact, only four players in the entire Premier League last season averaged more shots per 90 minutes than Madueke.

“He has the ability to dominate one-vs-one and even one-vs-two situations,” Saul Isaksson-Hurst, Madueke’s individual coach, told Standard Sport.

“He can break those lines and that’s really unique. A successful one-vs-one beats any team tactic.

“He can also break through when teams are defending deep. His ball control is top-level. He is explosive, he is dynamite.”

Isaksson-Hurst, whose current clients include Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, has worked with Madueke for years and insists he has never met a more harder-working player.

Throughout the season, Isaksson-Hurst sends Madueke video clips from his matches, which the pair analyse together to identify areas for improvement.

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

The pair work together during the off-season and Madueke even cut short his holiday this summer to start training early with Arsenal.

The winger saw clips online of his new team-mates working out in Singapore and wanted to be ready when they returned. Madueke duly began training at Arsenal’s base in London Colney on his own.

“We often go away for four, five days for intense training camps and I almost have to force him to have a day off because he just wants to train,” said Isaksson-Hurst.

The hard work has paid off and Madueke has settled quickly, endearing himself to the squad from the moment he sang a Beyoncé song for his initiation.

Madueke knew several players already from his time with England, and was messaging Eberechi Eze in the summer to see if he would be joining him at Arsenal.

Declan Rice is another friend from England, but Madueke has formed new friendships.

He is one of several Arsenal players in the squad who are religious, and they often pray together before games.

Madueke has also formed a bond with captain Martin Odegaard in recent weeks while the pair have been out injured together.

They have discovered they share the same sense of humour, and an overlap in the music they like.

After returning from injury, Madueke is on song at the perfect time as he prepares to return to Chelsea.