Noni Madueke transfer news: Arsenal complete £52m deal to sign England international from rivals Chelsea
Arsenal have announced the signing of Noni Madueke; Gunners have agreed to pay Chelsea up to £52m for the winger, who has signed a five-year deal; Madueke is Arsenal’s fourth signing of the summer and the latest in a long line of players to join from Chelsea
Arsenal have completed the signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea in a deal worth £52m.
Arsenal will pay an initial fee of £48.5m plus £3.5m in add-ons.
The winger has signed a five-year contract at the Emirates Stadium and becomes Arsenal’s fourth signing of the summer after Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard.
Madueke, who has seven caps for England, predominantly plays on the right wing but can also operate on the left. He is seen by Arsenal as a player who can add depth and quality to their attack.
The 23-year-old is the seventh player to make the move from Chelsea to Arsenal in the last six years, after Kepa, Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, Jorginho, Willian and David Luiz.
Madueke scored 20 goals in 92 games for Chelsea following his £29m arrival from PSV Eindhoven in 2023.
He helped them win the Conference League last season and also played a part in their Club World Cup triumph in the United States.
His Chelsea departure follows another round of heavy investment in their attack, with Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens having arrived from Ipswich, Brighton and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
Why Arsenal fans doubt Madueke – and why they might be wrong
Arsenal’s pursuit of Noni Madueke has provoked a vociferous online reaction from fans. A poll conducted by Sky Sports shows voters feel he would be a bad signing. Some have even signed a petition against the deal.
For many, the frustration stems from Arsenal shopping at Chelsea again. Madueke becomes the seventh player in six years to move from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates Stadium. The list holds cautionary tales in David Luiz, Willian and Raheem Sterling.
Go back further and there are more examples, from William Gallas and Lassana Diarra to Petr Cech. Overall, it is clear which club has benefited most from the transactions. Even the more successful signings, most notably Kai Havertz, continue to split opinion.
The £65m fee paid for Havertz remains a subject of debate, two years on, and the finances involved in the deal for Madueke are even more contentious. Arsenal will pay up to £52m, allowing Chelsea to make a huge profit on a player they signed for £29m in 2023.
It is a hefty fee, particularly for a player who primarily plays in the same position as Bukayo Saka. Arsenal fans are entitled to wonder whether Madueke has done enough in the last two and a half years at Chelsea to justify a 70 per cent increase in his value.
A lack of end product has been a source of frustration. Madueke started last season with a hat-trick against Wolves in a 6-2 win at Molineux but went on to score only seven times and provide only three assists in 32 Premier League appearances in total.
Madueke thanks Chelsea fans for ‘love, praise and also the criticism’
“I want to thank you for the last three or so years. To every staff member that helped me along this journey, thank you. To my teammates thank you for everything, I leave with only love and admiration for you guys.
“We achieved so much this season and I honestly wish you guys nothing but the best. To Enzo Maresca, it was a privilege to play under you, thank you for trying to better me as a player and as a person.
“Lastly thank you to every single Chelsea fan. Thank you for the love, the praise and also the criticism, I appreciate it all. I leave here with nothing but fond memories.”
Merson says: ‘Are Arsenal preparing for Saka’s exit?’
“I am flabbergasted by Arsenal signing Noni Madueke. I’m shocked. If Arsenal went and bought any player from Chelsea, he’d have been the last one I thought they’d sign.
“I just don’t see it. It’s a lot of money for a player who is not a prolific goalscorer. He’s the sort of player that has a good game here and a good game there, but that’ll be it. The consistency of performance isn’t there.
“I hope he proves me wrong, but he’ll have the good games, just like he did for England last month. But then you won’t see him for a few weeks.
“Call me a cynic, but is there another reason why they are doing this deal? Are there concerns about the future of Saka?
“Are they getting this deal done, and then all of a sudden it allows a potential sale of Saka or someone else?
“The one player at Arsenal who has to play every week is Saka. When he doesn’t play, they are not the same team. The players around him are not the same when he doesn’t play.
“If fit, he plays. So why do you spend £52m on a backup for him?”
Arsenal transfers
In
Kepa Arrizabalaga – Chelsea, £5m
Martin Zubimendi – Real Sociedad, £51m
Christian Norgaard – Brentford, £15m
Noni Madueke – Chelsea, £52m
Out
Jorginho – Flamengo, free
Kieran Tierney – Celtic, free
Nuno Tavares – Lazio, £4.3m
Marquinhos – Cruzeiro, undisclosed
Takehiro Tomiyasu – released
Thomas Partey – released
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