Arsenal Agree £50M Deal With Chelsea Over Noni Madueke But Not Everyone is Happy

Arsenal are on the verge of securing a £50 million deal for Chelsea forward Noni Madueke, according to reports.

Initial expectations suggested that negotiations between the two London clubs would commence after the FIFA Club World Cup. However, talks have progressed rapidly, with Madueke reportedly receptive to the move across the capital.

Personal terms on a five-year contract have been agreed in principle.

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Arsenal have been actively seeking a left-sided forward this summer. Interestingly, Madueke primarily featured on the right wing for Chelsea during the 2024/25 season, making only seven appearances on the left, without registering any goals or assists from that position.

The Gunners, who have also explored other forward options, including Real Madrid's Rodrygo, already have Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri as right-wing options.

Chelsea signed Madueke from PSV Eindhoven for £29m in January 2023. He still has five years remaining on his current contract.

However, the Blues have significantly bolstered their attacking ranks this summer with the arrivals of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m, Joao Pedro from Brighton for up to £60m, and Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund for an initial £48.5m, plus potential add-ons.

However, some Arsenal fans are not receptive to the deal as they feel the player is not what they need.

Some Arsenal fans had signed a petition that had over 2,500 signatures requesting the club not to sign the England star as they want them to focus on getting a striker instead.

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo remains another prime target for Arsenal. While it seems unlikely they will sign both players, it's currently unclear which deal the club is prioritizing.

Rodrygo, a two-time Champions League winner, is arguably the more high-profile target. Reports from Spain suggest his valuation is around £69m (€80m), potentially exceeding Chelsea's asking price for Madueke.

Rodrygo's future at Real Madrid is uncertain under new manager Xabi Alonso, who has limited his playing time at the Club World Cup. The Brazilian forward hasn't started a match since their opening game against Al Hilal.

Although known as a right-winger at Madrid, Rodrygo's preferred position is on the left, which aligns with Arsenal's needs.