05/01/2026
🚨 | Saka 🤝 Madueke
Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke go way back. Same academy roots, close since childhood, even their dads are friends.
Madueke says that closeness doesn’t affect competition. If anything, it pushes them both. He believes the pressure to perform helps them grow, for club and country.
Some questioned Arsenal spending £48m on Madueke, but the club saw his 1v1 ability as a real weapon. He showed that with a driving run that helped create the opener.
Behind the scenes, Saka played a role too. Arteta spoke to him directly about Madueke, and both Saka and Declan Rice spoke highly of his character.
The result? Smart rotation. Since December, Arsenal have played nine games. Saka started five, Madueke four. That’s rare for Saka, but important given his hamstring history.
And Saka is still making the difference. Assist off the bench at the weekend. A goal as a sub against Brentford last month.
After years of searching for proper cover, Arsenal finally have it. Madueke is competing, contributing, and handling the battle for minutes the right way.
