Tottenham have emerged as front-runners to sign Chelsea attacking sensation Noni Madueke amid interest from rivals Aston Villa.
According to Mick Brown via Football Insider, Noni Madueke seems all set to part ways with Chelsea this summer, and Tottenham have emerged as the favourites to sign the English attacker, who is also on the wishlist of Aston Villa.
Madueke came up the ranks at PSV Eindhoven and made a name for himself while playing for their first team before securing a move to Chelsea at the start of 2023. While he has been a consistent performer, he hasn’t been a regular feature in their XI.
Madueke not pleased with limited game time
He has racked up less than 1,800 minutes of first-team football across his 31 appearances this season. Despite having contributed towards 14 goals, he hasn’t been a guaranteed starter under Enzo Maresca. The manager has concerns about his attitude and whether he fits into his long-term plans.
While his contract runs until the summer of 2030, there are high chances of him making a move away this summer. Brown has suggested that the 23-year-old is frustrated and could look to leave the club in search of a more prominent role.
Tottenham are keen on signing him, and the former Manchester United scout believes they are in pole position to acquire his services ahead of next season. The North London club are optimistic that they can convince him to make the move across London.
Brown said, “Madueke is a player I rate very highly,”
“I see so much ability in him, but at the moment it’s still unproven.
“He’s in and out of the Chelsea team, there are questions about whether he fits in the manager’s plans, and that’s not going to be good for his career.
“I think he needs to be playing consistently, and playing in a way that suits his assets.
“That’s something he’ll be looking at too, so if clubs are prepared to offer him that, he’ll certainly be interested in the possibility of a move.
“Tottenham are one of the teams who have been looking at him, I think Aston Villa have been too.
“From what I hear, Tottenham believe they can tempt him to make that move because they’re prepared to offer him regular playing time.
“He’ll be given the opportunity to make a name for himself and establish himself as a key player.
“If he can play regularly at Tottenham, there’s no reason why he can’t do that.”
Madueke could join a rival club
Spurs are going through one of their most difficult seasons. They will certainly look at the market for opportunities to reinforce their squad. They want to add more firepower to their attack and consider Madueke an ideal fit for their system.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa are also keen on his signature. Given the kind of success they have had by signing Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United in the winter, they will be in the market for more quality in the final third. Unai Emery is a big admirer of the English international and is pushing for his signing.
However, Villa find it difficult to win the race for his signature, as Tottenham are believed to be the front-runners. The North London club are willing to offer him consistent game time, which can help convince the 22-year-old to join them. If he does end up leaving Chelsea, joining the rivals could actually work in his favour.