Former Arsenal winger slams ‘sad’ Madueke criticism amid Havertz comparison

Former Arsenal player Anders Limpar has hit out at the backlash surrounding Noni Madueke’s arrival from Chelsea, calling some of the fan reaction “sad” and urging more patience from supporters.

Madueke’s £52million switch has divided opinion, with many questioning both the fee and the logic of signing another winger.

That attitude was echoed by Paul Merson in his Sky Sports column yesterday, with the former Arsenal man showing surprise at the signing and suggesting Bukayo Saka could depart.

But Limpar, speaking to AceOdds, believes the 23-year-old deserves a proper chance to prove himself.

“It’s never fun when a club signs a player and the fans are not happy with it. I think Noni Madueke is a good player.

“I think he can fit in Arsenal’s system. It’s just unfortunate to hear that some fans are against him and making his life difficult in a way.”

The former Sweden international, who was a cult favourite at Highbury in the early 90s, said he doesn’t fully understand the backlash.

“I don’t know the background about all the fuss from the fans. It can’t just be that he’s from Chelsea and going to Arsenal. I’m pretty sure of that. It’s sad when fans are making a player’s life difficult.

“If you look at the big clubs: Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and so on. They want a mega-squad. They want a squad where they can put on 22 players and everybody can play. That’s modern football.

“To hear about £50 million here, £60 million there, £70 million here, for some players who can’t even play, in my opinion. It’s ridiculous money. But that’s the way it is, in 2025.”

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Madueke, who left Chelsea’s Club World Cup camp to complete the move, is expected to compete with Bukayo Saka on the right and offer depth on the left.

“You always have to have backup for your big stars. It is up to Madueke if he can handle the pressure.

“He’s used to playing, and he has to compete for a starting spot with Saka, who is one of the best players in the world. That’s not easy. Madueke has to be patient and take the chances he gets.”

“Playing on the left side, we have Martinelli there, we have Trossard there, and even Reiss Nelson. It’s hard for a player to come to a big club with big stars, but when pre-season starts, you have to prove yourself to be a starter.

“It’s always been like that. It’s not set that he’ll be on the bench. He can work his way up to becoming a starter.”

Limpar also drew comparisons to Kai Havertz, who endured a rocky start after joining from Chelsea but has since won over the Emirates crowd.

“Arsenal fans weren’t good to Havertz when he wasn’t at his best for the first couple of months, and now they adore him. I always think you have to give the players a chance and play in front of the fans, and see how good he can be.

“I always think that fans have to be a little more patient when a player arrives and see how it goes.”