Noni Madueke, the recent acquisition for Chelsea, has received high praise from personal skills coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, who likened him to the legendary Arjen Robben. Isaksson-Hurst, renowned for his work with players like Brentford’s Rico Henry and Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun, collaborated with Madueke over the past two summers, honing his attacking prowess, culminating in Chelsea’s £35 million signing of the England Under-21 international from PSV Eindhoven.

Expressing admiration for Madueke, Isaksson-Hurst lauded him as one of the most promising young forwards in Europe. Highlighting the player’s unparalleled intensity, mentality, and hunger for excellence, Isaksson-Hurst coined the term “mentality monster” to describe Madueke, emphasizing his relentless drive and clear aspirations for greatness.

Madueke’s relentless dedication to self-improvement led his agent to approach Isaksson-Hurst in the summer of 2021. Drawing from his experience as a former coach at Tottenham and Chelsea academies, Isaksson-Hurst outlined their training regimen, explaining, “We collaborated for several weeks, with three or four sessions weekly. Following his return to PSV, he made a significant impact, attracting attention from various clubs. Our discussions persisted, and last summer, he invited me to Marbella for intensive training during his holiday.”

Alongside his work with Madueke, Isaksson-Hurst has honed the skills of other promising talents such as Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior, Chelsea’s Omari Hutchinson, and Norwich defender Max Aarons. Describing his method, Isaksson-Hurst noted, “Upon a player’s arrival, I evaluate their position and role on the field. I then pinpoint pivotal moments in the game for that player and craft customized training routines to refine and master the necessary skills. Noni’s exceptional ability to cut in from the right and utilize his left foot, reminiscent of Arjen Robben, became our focus. We delved into various iterations of this technique while also enhancing his capacity to cut in using his right foot. For an attacking player, it’s imperative to deliver assists, score goals, and devise strategies to penetrate defenses and contribute significantly.”