Arsenal has completed the signing of Noni Madueke van Chelsea in a deal worth £ 52 million.
Arsenal pays a first reimbursement of £ 48.5 million plus £ 3.5 in add-ons.
The wing player has signed a five -year contract at the Emirates Stadium and will be the fourth signing of Arsenal of the summer after Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard.
Madueke, who has seven caps for England, plays mainly on the right wing but can also work 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 who has made the switch from Chelsea to Arsenal for the past six years, after Kepa, Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, Jorginho, Willian and David Luiz.
Madueke scored 20 goals in 92 games for Chelsea after his arrival of £ 29 million from PSV Eindhoven in 2023.
He helped them win the conference competition last season and also played a role in their club World Cup triumph in the United States.
His departure from Chelsea follows a new round of heavy investments in their attack, in which Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens arrived from Ipswich, Brighton and Borussia Dortmund, respectively.
Prior to Madueke who left Chelsea, head coach Enzo Maresca said: “Sell him to a rival? If players want to leave, then it is difficult for the club and the manager.
'Noni decided to leave. Nobody told Noni that he had to leave. If he is happy, we are happy. “
Why Arsenal fans doubt Madueke – and why they might be wrong
Arsenal's striving for Noni Madueke has provoked a noisy online reaction from fans. A poll by Sky Sports shows that voters have the feeling that he would be a bad signature. Some have even signed a petition against the deal.
For many, the frustration comes again from Arsenal shop in Chelsea. Madueke will be the seventh player in six years to move from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates Stadium. The list contains warning stories in David Luiz, Willian and Raheem Sterling.
Go further back and there are more examples, from William Gallas and Lassana Diarra to Petr Cech. In general it is clear which club has benefited the most from the transactions. Even the more successful signing sessions, especially Kai Havertz, continue to split the opinion.
The £ 65 million paid for Havertz remains a topic of debate, two years later, and the finances involved in the deal for Madueke are even more controversial. Arsenal pays up to £ 52 million, so that Chelsea can make a huge profit on a player that they signed for £ 29 million in 2023.
It is a considerable fee, especially for a player who mainly plays in the same position as Bukayo Saka. Arsenal -Fans have the right to wonder if Madueke has done enough in Chelsea for the past two and a half years to justify an increase of 70 percent in its 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 victory in Molineux, but only scored seven times and gave a total of only three assists in 32 Premier League performances.
Merson says: “Is Arsenal promoting the exit of Saka?”
Paul Merson from Sky Sports:
“I was stunned by Arsenal that Noni Madueke signed. I was shocked. If Arsenal went to buy a Chelsea player, he would have been the last I thought they would sign.
“I just don't see it. It is a lot of money for a player who is not a productive goal scorer. He is the kind of player who has a good game here and a good game there, but it will be. There is no consistency of the performance.
“I hope he proves me wrong, but he will have the good games, just as he did for England last month. But then you don't see him for a few weeks.
“Call me a cynic, but is there another reason why they do this deal? Are there worries about the future of Saka?
“Do they get this deal closed, and then it suddenly makes a possible sale of Saka or someone else possible?
“The only player at Arsenal who has to play every week is Saka. If he doesn't play, they are not the same team. The players around him are not the same as he doesn't play.
“If he is suitable, he plays. So why do you spend £ 52 million on a backup for him? “
Read Paul Merson's full judgment about the move from Madueke to Arsenal
Arsenal -Transfers
In
Kepa Arrizabalaga – Chelsea, £ 5m
Martin Zubimendi – Real Sociedad, £ 51 million
Christian Norgaard – Brentford, £ 15m
Noni Madueke – Chelsea, £ 52m
Out
Jorginho – Flamengo, free
Kieran Tierney – Celtic, free
Nuno Tavares – Lazio, £ 4.3 million
Marquinhos – Cruzeiro, not announced
Takehiro Tomiyasu – released
Thomas Partey – released