"I think he's a top player" – Jamie O'Hara claims Chelsea star Noni Madueke is better than £100 million-rated Premier League ace

Ex-Tottenham Hotspur star Jamie O'Hara has suggested that Chelsea winger Noni Madueke is better than Manchester City's Jack Grealish.

Madueke, who joined the Blues from PSV Eindhoven for close to £30 million in the winter of 2023, has emerged as a starter for his club this season. He has made the most of his chances under head coach Enzo Maresca, registering four goals in six overall matches so far.

During a recent interaction on talkSPORT, former Liverpool star Jermaine Pennant said that Madueke would not start over Grealish at City. O'Hara chose to disagree, claiming (h/t The Chelsea Chronicle):

"He gets over Grealish. Come on, mate. He does. I think he's a top player. I really like him."

Madueke, 22, relished a good campaign for the west London outfit last season. He found the back of the opposition net eight times and also provided three assists in 34 total games, playing as a right winger.

Grealish, who joined City from Aston Villa for £100 million in 2021, registered three goals and as many assists in 36 appearances across competitions past campaign. The 29-year-old Englishman, meanwhile, has laid out one assist in six total games for his club this term.

Pundit says winger's time is up at Chelsea

Speaking to betting website Betfred, former Chelsea and Liverpool defender Glen Johnson criticized Mykhailo Mudryk for failing to settle in at his club. He remarked:

"We're yet to see it. We've seen flashes of his talent and there've been times when he's looked unstoppable, but we haven't seen it often. At the moment, it doesn't look like he's cut out for the Premier League because we would have seen it by now if he was. Maybe his time is up."

Johnson, who lifted two Premier League titles as a player, concluded:

"I've been supportive of him previously, but there's reasons why the managers he's had don't trust him and when he's had the opportunities to play, we've not seen enough from him. Chelsea bought him for a lot of money, so they're either going to have to stick with him or [sell him and] take a big loss on him."

Since arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk in a potential £89 million deal in the winter of 2023, Mudryk has failed to live up to initial expectations.

Overall, the 23-year-old has registered seven goals and six assists in 63 matches, including 35 starts, for the Enzo Maresca-coached outfit.