"How would you feel if it were your family? This is an obvious disgrace."
According to a report by the British 'Mirror' on the 13th (Korea time), former England national team defender Rio Ferdinand strongly criticized some fans' opposition to Noni Madueke's transfer to Arsenal. Ferdinand raised his voice, saying, "It can never be justified to trample on an individual player at a moment that should be celebrated for their transfer."
Recently, Arsenal has been seeking to acquire Chelsea forward Noni Madueke, with a transfer fee reportedly around £55 million (approximately 102.3 billion won). Madueke has failed to establish himself at Chelsea over the past few seasons, and due to the addition of new resources, he is facing a decrease in playing opportunities. Ultimately, Chelsea placed him on the transfer list, and Arsenal reached out.
The issue was the reaction of the fans that followed. Some Arsenal fans strongly opposed Madueke's transfer, and an online petition against the transfer even began circulating. It is reported that thousands of signatures were collected, and negative comments flooded Madueke's social media.
In response, Ferdinand said on his social media on the 13th, "It is truly devastating that a 23-year-old player, on the brink of achieving his dream, is exposed to ridicule and attacks from some fans. This is a moment when he should be celebrated, not criticized."
He continued, "Imagine how his parents or friends would accept this situation. It is utterly incomprehensible to ruin the brightest moment in someone's life like this."
Ferdinand did not have an issue with fans expressing their opinions. He stated, "Every fan can have different thoughts about the transfer. But the moment it leads to personal attacks on a player or collective exclusion, it crosses the line," adding, "I've never seen anything like petitions before."
"Think about how you would feel if such actions were done to your family. Would you be able to endure it if a brother, friend, or child were treated like this?" he questioned.
Finally, Ferdinand remarked, "This statement is not aimed at all Arsenal fans. It is just a minority, but their voices have become too loud. I hope Madueke can silence all this negativity with his skill after the transfer. Whatever happens, I wish Madueke good luck."
This is not the first time a player from Chelsea has transferred to Arsenal. Players like Jorginho, Kai Havertz, and Kepa Arrizabalaga have already worn Arsenal uniforms, and over the past three years, Arsenal has spent more than £100 million only on Chelsea. However, the opposition against Madueke is particularly intense. If the transfer is finalized, its aftermath may linger for quite a while.
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