Premier League pundits Alan Smith and Gary Neville discussed Chelsea’s signing of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens to replace England international Noni Madueke, who joined Arsenal this summer.
Alan Smith said: “Who can really figure out Chelsea’s thinking when it comes to player transfers? Signing Bynoe-Gittens to replace Madueke is far from a squad upgrade. The former is like a headless chicken wandering in a maze and hasn’t shown his best form yet. This transfer seemed odd from the start, and now it’s even more out of place—but that’s the current state of Chelsea, isn’t it?”
In stark contrast to Bynoe-Gittens’ slow start at Stamford Bridge is Madueke, who has shone quickly in North London since joining Arsenal. Neville was full of praise when commenting:
“To be honest, I’ve watched many of Madueke’s games at Chelsea. When Arsenal signed him, I could somewhat understand Chelsea’s decision to let him go. But look at him now! He’s a completely different player for Arsenal and the England team recently.”
“His dominance on the right flank is amazing—this was especially obvious when Bukayo Saka had to come off due to injury a while ago. I’m wondering if Saka should try playing on the left more this season? After all, Gabriel Martinelli has been struggling on the left. Madueke’s attacking threat on the right is definitely world-class. As a former defender, I even find myself thinking ‘I didn’t know he had this skill’ when watching him dribble.”
“Although Saka is still the better player, letting this experienced core switch positions occasionally and swap flexibly with the young and aggressive Madueke during games will definitely unlock more potential. Despite facing doubts at the beginning of his joining, he has now silenced all critics with his performances.”
