Noni Madueke could leave Chelsea before the transfer window closes on August 30, manager Enzo Maresca has said despite “really liking” the 22-year-old.
Forward Madueke blasted in the Blues’ second goal in an unconvincing 2-0 home win over Servette on Thursday, helping his side establish a commanding lead ahead of the second leg of the play-off for a place in the Uefa Europa Conference League.
“He’s a good player and he’s doing well with us,” said Maresca, adding that he “absolutely” wanted to keep Madueke in his squad.
“The reality is that until the transfer window shuts, anything can happen. But for sure, Noni is the kind of player that I like. I really like Noni.
“The only issue with him, probably, is that he has to understand that he has to be consistent during the week in every training session. The only thing he has to improve is to be consistent every day. Then he will get minutes, for sure.”
🤝 @NoniMadueke_ giving us that two-goal cushion. 😁#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/dfqG1oJaUi
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
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Madueke stats
Madueke joined Chelsea for £29 million from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and has scored 10 goals in 47 appearances, three of which came in less than a month across April and May last season.
The former England Under-21 internationa’s strike gave Chelsea comfort after they needed Christopher Nkunku’s 48th-minute penalty to make the breakthrough against the Swiss side.
Full Chelsea debutant Marc Guiu should have doubled their advantage four minutes later, miskicking in front of an open goal when he was gifted possession by goalkeeper Jeremy Frick.
The 18-year-old had three attempts to score in the sequence but could not capitalise from straightforward positions and received words of advice from Maresca when he was substituted.
A fine team goal. 🔥@NoniMadueke_ ✨#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/sMKyRQDzrX
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
Chelsea vs Servette: Maresca on Guiu
“I said to [Guiu] that he doesn’t like an easy goal,” said the Italian, who oversaw his first win following a 2-0 defeat against visitors Manchester City to start his reign last Sunday.
“He likes a difficult goal. It’s normal: he’s very young, the youngest in the squad. But the way he works, off the ball he runs a lot. He is going to score, for sure.”
Maresca attributed winger Mykhailo Mudryk’s erratic form since joining Chelsea in an £88.5m deal in January 2023 to poor decision-making rather than “quality or technical mistakes”.
“We’re going to try to help him to change,” he said. “He has to understand that we’re going to bring him the ball in the final third.
“When he’s there, it’s about taking the right decision. Sometimes he has to play and he tries to do something different and we lose the ball. Sometimes he has to go one-on-one. Hopefully we can help him.”
Cole Palmer injury
Chelsea’s top scorer last season, Cole Palmer, was brought on as a substitute but later appeared to be in pain with an injury, potentially putting his return to the starting side for Sunday’s trip to Wolves (2pm) in doubt.
“He felt something but it looks fine,” said Maresca. “They’ve already checked him and he looks fine, he looks okay. Hopefully, it’s not a problem and he can be available for Sunday.”
