Ex-Tottenham wonderkid Noni Madueke destroyed Ajax, is being coached by Van Nistelrooy, and once snubbed Man Utd
WHATEVER Ruud Van Nistelrooy is teaching Noni Madueke, it seems to be working.
The former Tottenham wonderkid, 19, blew away Ajax in the Johan Cruyff Shield final over the weekend with two stunning strikes in PSV’s sensational 4-0 win
The England U21 international was the darling of Spurs’ youth sides, and highly thought of by ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino, before the forward left North London in 2018 for first team football in the Netherlands. Manchester United legend Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who works as an assistant coach in Eindhoven, has taken the teenager under his wing and has given him extensive lessons in finishing. Madueke could have stayed on our shores – with Spurs offering him a new deal, as well as reported offers on the table from the Red Devils and Chelsea. But the brave winger opted for a move abroad, and there’s been no looking back since as he’s taken the Eredivisie by storm.
IMPRESSIVE START
From the offset Madueke was a hit. He scored his first goal for PSV in only his second start for the club against FC Emmen last season. That followed an impressive performance against Groningen, when he came off the bench to create two goals in a 3-1 win and really announced himself. In his debut campaign he managed nine goals in all competitions in just 32 games. Recently, the likes of Bayern Munich and Liverpool have been credited with an interest in the youngster, who wouldn’t have done his chances of a big move any harm with his latest masterclass against Ajax.
ART OF GOALSCORING
One of the reasons Madueke has excelled in front of goal could be credited to PSV’s Under 19s coach, Van Nistelrooy. A master poacher, the former Netherlands international scored 150 goals in 219 games for United. And he’s been passing tips onto the the starlet. “Ruud helped me a lot last year, taking my game to the next level and now I am just trying to get better every day,” he told SunSport. “I have always scored nice goals but I know I needed to score easier ones — being in the right place at the right time — striker-type finishes. “Ruud has been teaching me how to get into those positions more and, being a Manchester United fan, I know he is the master of that.”
HE’S GOT SKILLS
Recognised as a creative and physically strong playmaker, Noni possesses a magic left-foot with an eye for a killer through ball. The wonderkid also has a powerful shot, scoring goals from distance regularly at youth level and has a calm head – slotting penalties home for fun. Aged just 15, Noni played in the UEFA Youth League for Spurs and demonstrated his qualities on the pitch that make him a standout prospect. At the Sonnenland Cup in 2017, he was named player of the tournament, taking centre stage for the North London giants who made the semifinals of the competition.
At the same age, he also turned out for Spurs’ Under 18s and was captain of their Under 16 side, showing his ability to be a natural leader. But it’s in Holland where he will continue to grow and hone his impressive skills. After signing for PSV, Noni gave his reasons why he took the steps to move abroad. “In my opinion PSV is the club where I can best develop myself,” he told their club website.
“PSV is a massive club with a great history. I cannot wait to grow step by step to the first team.” Director of football John de Jong was equally as equally buoyant about the move, talking up the trend of English players making the bold move to Holland. “It is very nice that a player with his background, English youth international playing for an English top club chooses the youth trajectory of PSV. “That means that this boy sees perspective to break through and that is the intention. We believe in him and wish him every success.
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“We are increasingly receiving the signal that English talents are open to a switch to the Netherlands. “They see that the chance of breaking into the first team in the Netherlands at a young age is much greater than in England. “A trend break with recent years, in which we saw many Dutch youth players just leave for England.”