Noni Madueke has expressed confidence that his Chelsea teammate Carney Chukwuemeka will pose a significant challenge for Premier League opponents next season.
Madueke, who transferred to Stamford Bridge from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, had a mixed first full season at the club.
- Why Mbappe won’t be allowed to wear his mask for France at Euro 2024
- Jude Bellingham names the Real Madrid star who ‘will be better than him’
- Lampard reveals reason he recently stayed away from Ronaldo despite being in same hotel
Despite the ups and downs, the 22-year-old finished the season on a high note, scoring three goals and providing two assists in the last nine games.
Chukwuemeka, on the other hand, had a difficult season plagued by injuries, limiting him to just 12 appearances in all competitions for the Blues.
Nevertheless, Madueke, who has known Chukwuemeka since their time with England’s youth teams, is confident that his teammate will make a strong comeback once he regains full fitness.
‘Carney is the player I spend most time with, easily. I knew him through the England set-up,’ he said in an interview with Chelsea’s club website.
‘We are just very similar, we get on really well. We like the same things and have the same type of personality, so it just clicks.
‘When he’s fully fit, he’s a problem for teams. So I can’t wait until next season for him to be fit from the start of the season and just show everyone what he can do.’
Despite their impressive end to the campaign, Chelsea players were left in shock when Mauricio Pochettino was sacked after a meeting with the board.
Former Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca has since been brought in to replace the Argentine, with Madueke insisting the squad still have a strong bond as they look to continue their upward trajectory next season.
‘I feel like our team unity is at an all-time high. We’ve definitely been through a lot, but there were definitely good moments throughout the season, and there were examples where in some moments we probably could have done a bit better,’ he added.
‘But I feel like that comes with a young team and growing together. There’s also an understanding that if we’re going to win together, we’re going to lose together.
‘We need each other, for real. Right now it’s an all-time high and I hope it continues just like that.’
