Report: Chelsea “less than impressed” with winger they’re happy to sell to Champions League rivals | OneFootball

Noni Madueke returned from injury to sit on the bench against Tottenham on Thursday night, and we expect him to get his first start after the issue this afternoon against Brentford.

It’s a sign of his improvements this season that we believe that Enzo Maresca will be so keen to drop him right back into the team. Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho have had their uses, but Madueke has established himself as the biggest goal threat and more direct and dangerous presence.

Things haven’t always gone smoothly – Maresca twice dropped him from squads for poor training performances – but there’s no doubting his quality either.

That’s why it’s slightly curious to us that there are constant transfer links connecting the winger with a move away. Last summer there was quite serious talk about the former PSV man going to Newcastle, and since January we’ve heard more and more about a potential move to Aston Villa.

Villa ready to poach winger if Chelsea move on

Noni Madueke in action against West Ham. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

That talk is reignited today, with CaughtOffside’s report casting doubt on Maresca’s interest in using Madueke long term.

They claim that Chelsea are “less than impressed with Madueke’s attitude during training” and have “a doubt about how much he fits into Maresca’s long-term plans.” The arrival of Estevao Willian this summer and Geovany Quenda next summer increase the pressure on Madueke, plus there are plans afoot for us to sign yet another wide man according to most sources.

All of this is encouraging for Villa, who are doing good business snapping up unwanted players from Champions League contenders in recent years.

We can just see it now – we sell Madueke for a small profit and congratulate ourselves, and he then goes on to smash it under Unai Emery.