No Chelsea player enjoyed as strong a finish to last season as Noni Madueke.

The winger, signed from PSV Eindhoven in January, produced a string of eye-catching performances in May. He scored his first goal for the Blues at Arsenal and was then named Player of the Match after terrorising the Bournemouth backline in a 3-1 win at the Vitality Stadium.

It capped a productive first few months in senior English football for Madueke, who is preparing to represent his nation at the Under-21 European Championships. England’s first game is against Czech Republic on Thursday.

That Madueke found it so easy to settle at Stamford Bridge, despite the transition underway at the club, was reflected in his blossoming form, his confidence on the ball, his willingness to take on his man. It is the subject of this adaptation period that our interview with the personable 21-year-old begins.

‘Chelsea definitely feels like home,’ Madueke tells us.

‘The boys are great and we’ve got a really good harmony in the dressing room because we believe we’ll turn it around next season. It’s been a great few months of learning for me with some successes too, on an individual note.

‘Everyone here has huge aspirations, individually and collectively, but I feel like the process we’re in right now is just about getting a little bit better every day, getting better every game, and growing closer. It’s for the future – we are trying to build the foundations now for a successful club and team.

‘The project here was something I was very aware of and was something I thought was good,’ he adds of the long-term vision.

‘Chelsea has never really been a project club, just a winning club, but nowadays you can’t just win without a plan.

‘Gone are the days when the big clubs just used to dominate all the time. It’s different, you need to strategise, and I feel like that’s what the owners and the staff and the technical staff are doing. So we as players just need to buy in and I’m sure sooner rather than later we’ll be very successful.’

Madueke credits Frank Lampard for ‘helping a lot’ with his development in the time they worked together, and for giving him the confidence a young winger taking his first steps in the Premier League needs to showcase his best work.

That is not to say there haven’t been bumps in the road since Madueke returned to these shores, but overall he is satisfied with how his time at Chelsea has gone so far.

‘There are loads of moments in the career of a young player at one of the biggest clubs in the world where you think "ah, I could have done a bit better there". That’s normal, you learn from it, it’s part of learning and growing.

‘In terms of moments that stand out as a positive, my debut and my goal. It’s just a big relief to get off the mark and it’s something you can build on.

‘It was very difficult to really celebrate it how I wanted to because of the result. I would have wanted my first goal to be in different circumstances, so there were mixed emotions.’

Earlier in his career, Madueke took a bigger leap of faith when he left Tottenham for PSV shortly after his 16th birthday. It was a decision that paid off as he played a lot of games at a young age, gaining valuable experience in a top league and in European football. He acknowledges that decision paved the way for his move to Chelsea.

Madueke does seem like a man with a plan. He speaks with a clarity and confidence that belies his tender years, but perhaps reflecting the major moves and big decisions he has already taken. So, then, Noni, what next?

‘I’ve got the Under-21 Euros, so I want to win that tournament with my team-mates. And then, after the final hopefully, my focus will switch back on pre-season and making the best impression possible on the new manager.

‘Next season for me is just about becoming one of the top players in my position in the league and contributing to wins with goals and assists and helping my team-mates. That’s my aim.’

Madueke is joined by Levi Colwill in the England Under-21 squad. They take on Czech Republic on Thursday with further group fixtures against Israel and Germany to follow. Ian Maatsen and Mykhailo Mudryk are the other players involved in the tournament being held in Romania and Georgia. We will have a full preview on Wednesday.