Madueke on competition with Saka and England hopes
[Getty Images] Noni Madueke has spoken about the unique position he is in, having to compete for a place in the side with Bukayo Saka for club and country. The 24-year-old signed for the Gunners last summer and the right-winger plays in the same position as key player Saka for both Arsenal and England. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has used Madueke on the left wing while Saka has also played as a number 10, which has allowed Madueke to play in his favoured role while both players are on the pitch.
"It's competition," Madueke said before England's friendly with Uruguay on Friday. "You guys probably see it like that more than we do. We don't see it like that, we play for Arsenal and England and we have the collective at the forefront of our minds.
"He's a top player, someone I'm very close to. " Former Chelsea winger Madueke has had some good moments for Arsenal this season, scoring in the win against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and registering seven goals in 31 games in all competitions. "It's one of those things, I feel like when you play for a team like Arsenal and for England, competition is just a given," he continued.
"It is something that is always there at the highest level of football. "Whether it is B (Saka) or me, the focus has to be on England and the collective as a whole and you just have to do your best. " "Anyone who knows us know that we have a mutual love and respect for each other.
There are bits of his game I try to take, and I think there are bits of mine I think he tries to take too. "We are very close and we know regardless of who is playing, we are pulling in the same direction and that's not going to change. " England manager Thomas Tuchel is a big fan of Madueke and said that the winger was England's best player in the June camp.