Rising Chelsea star Noni Madueke reveals Cristiano Ronaldo inspiration as he tries to emulate Kylian Mbappe & Vinicius Jr

The 21-year-old, who joined Chelsea from PSV Eindhoven for £30 million ($38 million) in January 2023, has made significant strides in his development and boasts of having two goals and two assists in his last five games. He is gradually getting into the groove with the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino and admitted that he is a keen observer of the likes of Ronaldo, Mbappe and Vinicius - players who have a similar style to him.

In an interview with ESPN,Madueke stated: "The main [inspiration] of course was [Cristiano] Ronaldo, that's probably when I was a bit younger, but Mbappé, Vinicius Jr. I watch those type of players and try and take bits from their game. Arjen Robben [too]. They are decisive. They win games on their own and they entertain crowds. That's what I like to do as well."

Madueke's move to Chelsea marked a significant step up in his career, transitioning from the Eredivisie to the more competitive environment of the Premier League. Despite the increased level of competition, Madueke has adapted well after a torrid start and credited Pochettino for his upsurge in form.

Madueke said: "For me, I'd say he's very real, very straight to the point. I think he wants to help you genuinely and he has this clear way of how he's going to do that, which I admire about him. He's helped me this season for sure from the start. If you look at where I was at the start to where I'm now in terms of my game. So he's helped me a lot with developing a certain mentality in me that allows me to perform."

Madueke would like to finish the campaign on a positive note by beating Bournemouth on the final matchday in the Premier League. A brace against the Cherries would take his goal tally to double digits across competitions - a fair return given his struggles earlier in the season.