Arteta opens up on surprise source of Madueke’s early Arsenal impact

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that the wave of fan protests against the club’s £52m summer move for Noni Madueke ended up inspiring the winger’s strong start to life at the Emirates.

In July, more than 4,000 Arsenal fans signed a petition on X with the hashtag #NoToMadueke, urging the club to abandon the deal. But according to Arteta, the backlash only strengthened his resolve to make the signing a success.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s top-of-the-table showdown against Chelsea, Arteta said the online campaign “gave me more conviction and more will to help him… and prepare everything around him in the best possible way.”

Madueke, 23, impressed early on but suffered a knee injury in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City in September, sidelining him for nine weeks. He returned in the north London derby last weekend, coming on in the 78th minute of Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Tottenham, and is now pushing for minutes against his former club.

Arteta noted that after a brief online backlash, fans quickly switched to support mode, something Madueke “valued” and used as “fuel.”

Meanwhile, the Arsenal boss has thrown his weight behind Declan Rice’s Ballon d’Or credentials, backing the midfielder after an “immense” start to the season. Rice delivered a standout performance against Bayern Munich in midweek and has two goals and six assists this season, thriving in a more advanced role.

Asked if Rice could win the Ballon d’Or, Arteta replied: “I hope so. That would mean we have won a lot. He’s been immense since the start of the season an incredible and crucial player for us.”