This time, it is a London club. Noni Madueke (23) is set to leave Chelsea and join Arsenal.
European football transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano noted on social media on the 11th (Korea time), "Madueke is headed for Arsenal! The transfer fee has been agreed at over £50 million (approximately 93.1 billion won) including bonuses. Chelsea has also given the green light."
He continued, "Madueke agreed to a 5-year contract with Arsenal a few days ago. He is now ready to complete the transfer. The winger Madueke is leaving Chelsea to join Arsenal," exclaiming his signature phrase 'Here we go.'
According to Romano, Arsenal recently finalized personal agreements with Madueke and sent a proposal totaling £50 million to Chelsea. Chelsea was also positive about the negotiations but wanted to raise the fixed amount. Ultimately, both sides found common ground at £52 million (approximately 96.8 billion won) including bonuses.
Romano explained, "Arsenal and Chelsea are set to exchange all documents related to the Madueke transfer on Friday. Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, has already accepted Madueke as a key target several weeks ago. Medical test schedules are expected to be arranged soon."
The British 'BBC' also reported, "Arsenal is close to signing Chelsea's Madueke for a fee slightly over £50 million. The two clubs have tentatively reached an agreement regarding the transfer fee, and final details need to be confirmed."
The media pointed out, "Since joining Chelsea in January 2023, Madueke has spent 88% of his playing time in the Premier League as a right winger. Therefore, his acquisition will alleviate the burden on Bukayo Saka, who has played a lot in recent seasons. Saka started in 108 out of 114 league matches from the 2021-2022 season to the 2023-2024 season and missed the last 3 months due to a hamstring injury."
Madueke can also play on the left side. As a left-footed winger, he can either cut inside from the right and take left-footed shots or focus on straight dribbling breakthroughs from the left, depending on the team's playing style.
BBC explained, "Madueke played on Chelsea's left side toward the end of last season. He also started as a left winger when the England national team won against Andorra last month. During that match, Madueke delivered an outstanding performance, assisting Harry Kane's winning goal. Thus, he can compete with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard at Arsenal on the opposite side of Saka."
Born in 2002, Madueke is a winger from England. He developed in Tottenham's youth team and joined the Netherlands' PSV Eindhoven academy in the summer of 2018, earning a call-up to the first team six months later. He made his professional debut in January 2019, garnering a lot of expectations.
Afterward, Madueke, who played a key role at PSV, joined Chelsea in 2023 for a transfer fee of £29 million (approximately 54 billion won). He secured a position on Chelsea's wing with his explosive speed and one-on-one breakthrough ability. However, his ambitious playing style, lack of work ethic, and weak mentality revealed his limitations.
Nevertheless, Madueke played an important role under new manager Enzo Maresca last season. He appeared in 32 out of 38 Premier League matches and played a total of 46 games across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing 4 assists. He has also played 5 matches in the ongoing 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. His cumulative record at Chelsea is 92 matches with 20 goals and 7 assists.
Now, Madueke is set to embark on a new challenge at Arsenal. As a result, he will have a unique career playing for 'London rivals' Chelsea and Arsenal, both stemming from Tottenham's youth program. Madueke is expected to join Arsenal after the Club World Cup final against Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on the 14th.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), AFC Updates, Romano, Now Arsenal, Goal.com.
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