If Arsenal are to compete on all fronts next season, Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta need to be prepared to sign a new right-winger this summer.
12:25, 24 Jun 2026
Andrea Berta, Sporting Director of Arsenal, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Arsenal at Hill Dickinson Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Liverpool, England
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Andrea Berta hasn't been afraid to make big calls at Arsenal(Image: Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Noni Madueke squandered the chance to prove he's capable of deputising for Bukayo Saka, on the domestic and international stage, during England's clash against Ghana. The Arsenal winger fell short of expectations in the Three Lions' penultimate World Cup group stage clash as they were held to a goalless draw.
He and Anthony Gordon, in particular, struggled to impress at the Gillette Stadium on Tuesday night, offering little to no quality on the flanks. Eager to limit supply to Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, Carlos Queiroz overloaded the middle of the park and deployed a low block.
In doing so, Thomas Tuchel's side were funnelled into wide areas. Even when England managed to create fleeting overloads, Madueke and the new Barcelona forward failed to capitalise on the opportunities to, at the very least, beat the opposition full-back and deliver a cross of value into the box.
Before they were replaced in the second half, he and Gordon couldn't find the key to unlocking the Ghana defence. The passing lanes into Kane and Bellingham were blocked, and the half-spaces were often overcrowded, so they would've been tasked with finding the solutions.
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Madueke and the former Newcastle United ace were eventually taken off after failing to shoulder the workload of a winger for a top team. Although neither Marcus Rashford nor Bukayo Saka, who replaced the duo, managed to break the deadlock, the gulf in class was evident.
Ironically, according to Opta, from the moment the former Chelsea winger left the field in the 83rd minute, England generated just as much xG (0.68) in nine fewer attempts as they had beforehand. It's not the first time that Madueke has fallen short of expectations, for club and country, in the absence of his Arsenal teammate.
Noni Madueke talking to Thomas Tuchel
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Noni Madueke needs to do more to prove he's capable of deputising for Bukayo Saka, for club and country. (Image: Getty)
The 24-year-old, whom the Gunners signed from the Blues for a staggering £52m last summer, largely disappointed in his debut campaign. Madueke didn't provide the cutting edge that many would have hoped for when Andrea Berta first entered the market for a winger of his price tag.
He featured 43 times across all competitions for Arsenal, scoring just eight goals and only providing four assists. Madueke was ultimately tasked with taking some weight off Saka's shoulders, yet he still ended up making more appearances in a season than ever before.
If Mikel Arteta is to keep the Hale End graduate available while competing on all fronts, defending the Premier League title and mounting a bid for the Champions League, he will need to sign a new second-string right-winger. Madueke has so far proven he's unable to perform at the very highest level on a regular basis throughout a season.
Unless the former Blues can show signs of improvement and display an end product, Berta will need to have an uncomfortable chat with the Arsenal boss about how best to find suitable cover for Saka...
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