Arsenal have already signed a ’10/10 talent’ who could send Madueke.

Arsenal are in a strange situation right now.

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League and Champions League, advancing to the next round of the FA Cup and are just two games away from winning the League Cup.

But on the other hand, the Gunners are without a win in their last three league games and, to make matters worse, they have not scored in any of those games, including Lisandro Martinez putting the ball into their own goal on Sunday.

Unsurprisingly, this has put the attacking line under intense scrutiny, with Noni Madueke being a player of particular concern, and a player who could end up usurping his place in Arsenal’s squad by another youngster signed, Andrea Berta.

Why Madueke is a concern for Arsenal

Well, the first thing to say is that Madueke’s Arsenal career is still in its early stages, so he has time to improve.

Furthermore, the Englishman has had some magical moments this season, including his performance against Nottingham Forest and his brace against Club Brugge.

However, there is a big problem. He only really shined for a moment.

Sure, the dynamic winger is very good at getting past defenders and getting into the penalty area, but his reputation for being incredibly wasteful and lacking in end product as it stands is well-deserved.

For example, the man described by author Adam Keyes as an “agent of chaos” has made 19 appearances for the Gunners this season, scoring three goals and providing two assists.

While that might be seen as an okay return for some clubs, it definitely isn’t for a team chasing domestic or European glory.

To make matters worse, between spells with the North Londoners and Chelsea, the 23-year-old has played 81 Premier League games for a total of 4,327 minutes, scoring 13 goals and providing seven assists.

In other words, since returning to England, he has averaged only a goal involvement in the top flight every 4.05 games, or every 216.35 minutes, which is also not enough.

Perhaps the most damning statistic is that he hasn’t scored or assisted in over a year in the league, with his last goal coming on January 25, 2025.

Overall, it’s safe to say that Madueke has been underperforming for Arsenal this season. He still has time to develop, but he could eventually be replaced by another player who signed Andrea Berta.

Arsenal’s talent who could replace Madueke

Since joining last year, Berta has added a number of top-class players to Arsenal.

From getting Martin Zvimendi over the line to signing Eberechi Eze and Victor Gyokeres, the Spaniard appears to have changed the way the Gunners approach the market.

But he didn’t just bring in a famous name. In early December, he agreed to contracts for highly-rated Ecuadorian twins Holger and Edwin Quintero.

Although the 16-year-olds won’t be able to break into the first team until 2027, there is a genuine expectation that they will develop into superstars, and when it comes to Maduke’s competition, Edwin is one to watch.

Although the teenage prodigy can play in the number 10 position, he is at his best playing on the right flank, where he can make the most of his technical ability and desire to attack opponents.

Respected analyst turned scout Ben Mattinson, for example, said the youngster was “very deft, always using his flair to fool defenders and make smart passes.”

However, as Mattinson points out, “He has the ability to move the game and create something out of nothing.” He is not a player who just runs at defenders without thinking.

His ability to be both dynamic and thoughtful is one of the reasons why he will one day pose a threat to players like Madueke. Maduke is definitely the former, but he can get frustrated when he loses the ball or makes the wrong decision.

But Mattinson isn’t the only one to be incredibly excited about this teenage phenomenon, with talent scout Jacek Kulig boldly describing him as a “10 out of 10 talent” who is “absolutely fun to watch.”

Similarly, Under-23 scout Antonio Mhango appears to be fascinated by the attacking player’s potential.

He described him as “a player who is always trying to make a difference” and “prefers to play on short pass-and-move principles”, but who is also incredibly “dangerous from long range”.

All in all, Quintero won’t be replacing Madueke anytime soon, but if he lives up to the hype and the former Chelsea man continues to dominate, he could eventually replace him in this Arsenal squad.