Arsenal’s £52m Gamble Paying Off: Gary Neville Praises Madueke as “Better Than I Imagined”

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has hailed Arsenal winger Noni Madueke, admitting the England international has surpassed his expectations since arriving from Chelsea.

Arsenal’s decision to spend £52 million on Madueke in the summer was met with scepticism from fans and pundits alike. But the 22-year-old has hit the ground running at the Emirates, producing a series of lively performances, including a standout display in the Gunners’ 3–0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, the former United captain compared Madueke’s movement to Dutch great Arjen Robben, highlighting his ability to make devastating runs down the flank.

“Madueke is a lot better than I imagined and thought he would be — and certainly a lot better than Arsenal fans thought he would be,” Neville said.
“Some of the runs he made for England last week were on a different level. They were the kind of runs Robben used to make against me. He’s not at that level yet, but his movement is very, very good.”

Neville also praised Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze, but reserved special mention for Madueke, suggesting his presence adds new depth to Mikel Arteta’s wide options alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Arsenal, unbeaten so far this season, now find themselves with a winger Neville believes could be one of the Premier League’s biggest surprises.