Noni Madueke has represented England in seven international matches since his debut in 2024.
Arsenal Football Club has finalized the acquisition of English winger Noni Madueke from Chelsea for an initial sum of £48.5 million.
The 23-year-old was part of Chelsea’s squad participating in the Club World Cup held in the United States. However, he departed the camp prior to the team’s 3-0 victory over Paris St-Germain in last Sunday’s final to complete his transfer to Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Madueke has committed to a five-year contract with Arsenal, with the total fee potentially reaching just over £50 million upon the fulfillment of certain performance-based add-ons.
He played in 92 games for Chelsea following his £30 million transfer from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, scoring 20 goals and contributing to their Conference League title victory last season.
Prior to his time in the Netherlands, where he won the Dutch Cup, Madueke was a part of the youth academies at Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur.
Madueke earned his first senior cap for England in August 2024, providing the assist for Harry Kane’s winning goal in Thomas Tuchel’s team’s 1-0 victory over Andorra in a World Cup qualifying match last month.
Reports of Arsenal’s interest in the Chelsea winger had previously sparked some opposition from a segment of the Gunners’ fanbase earlier in the month.
A petition, known as #NoToMadueke, garnered over 5,000 signatures, and murals outside of Emirates Stadium were defaced with graffiti reading ‘Arteta out’.
Madueke represents Arsenal’s fourth acquisition of the summer transfer window, and the second player to arrive from Chelsea following the signing of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Midfielders Christian Norgaard from Brentford and Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad have also been added to the squad, while the club are reportedly nearing deals for striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting and Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera.
The reasons behind the #NoToMadueke trend among Arsenal supporters
Madueke primarily operates on the right wing, having played 88% of his Premier League minutes on that side of the pitch, a position currently occupied by Bukayo Saka at Arsenal.
Saka, 23, has been a consistent presence in the Arsenal lineup, starting 108 of 114 league matches from 2021-22 to 2023-24, although he did miss three months of last season due to a hamstring injury.
Madueke would provide a capable backup option for Saka, but he is also capable of playing on the left.
He was a standout performer for England during the recent international break, recording three assists in his first seven appearances, including the assist from the left for Kane’s winning goal against Andorra.
Madueke also started on the left in four of the Blues’ final five Premier League matches of the season, as well as the Conference League final, potentially positioning him as direct competition for Gabriel Martinelli in that role.
It is evident why Arteta may be enthusiastic about the possibility of signing Madueke.
His expected goals (9.6), number of shots (80), touches in the opposition box (199), and progressive carries with the ball (242) all exceeded those of Martinelli and Saka in the Premier League last season.
Saka participated in only 25 league matches compared to Madueke’s 32, making a comparison with Martinelli, who played 33 times, more equitable.
Madueke also contributed a combined total of 10 goals and assists for Chelsea last season, potentially offering a boost to Arsenal’s often-criticized attack.
Injuries plagued Arteta’s squad last season, and they concluded the campaign with limited options in the final third of the field, contributing to their decline in the title race.
Madueke is recognized as one of the most direct wingers in the league, and Arsenal, who frequently face teams that adopt a deep defensive posture against them, could benefit from his eagerness to challenge defenders and generate shots on goal.
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