Noni Madueke Targets Glory at Arsenal After £48m Switch from Chelsea

Arsenal’s £48million signing Noni Madueke expressed confidence that his new club has the potential to achieve greatness after leaving Chelsea, becoming Mikel Arteta’s fourth acquisition of the summer.

Madueke’s move across London, which sparked some backlash from Arsenal fans, has pushed the club’s summer spending to over £120million. The 23-year-old has committed to a five-year deal and joins Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea, and Christian Norgaard in the transfer window. Additionally, a £13m deal for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera is also expected to be finalized soon.

Arsenal is optimistic about signing striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon, but reports suggest that a deal worth potentially £65m is not on the immediate horizon.

Noni Madueke will compete with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli for spots in Arsenal’s attacking positions, with the club believing his signing could help lead them to their first Premier League title in 20 years. However, the transfer—potentially exceeding £52m due to performance-related clauses—has prompted significant criticism from some sections of the Arsenal fanbase online, leading to a petition against his signing that has gathered over 5,000 signatures.

In response to the backlash, Noni Madueke stated, “I’m somebody who goes with my gut feeling a lot of the time and I feel like it’s steered me in the right direction so far. So I don’t think it’s going to be any different here. I think it’s going to be a great success and I’m really happy to be here.

“I’ve just been relaxed, waiting for the green light and when I came in today, it all felt real. I’m really happy and really proud, so it’s a great moment for me. It’s already a great team with a clear identity and I can’t wait to bring my style to the team and try and help the boys as much as possible to take that next step. (I want) to win all the competitions we’re in; I feel like we’re definitely capable of doing that.”

Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand took to X to defend Madueke, saying he has been “vilified,” “bullied,” and “embarrassed” by the fans’ reactions. He remarked, “It’s fine for fans to disagree with signings or decisions made at their football club, but the way some fans have publicly voiced their opinions and even started a petition against this player is beyond me. I have never seen anything like this before, and I hope I don’t ever again. Imagine if this was your best friend or family member; how would you feel if they faced such vulgar behavior? I just hope Noni Madueke proves all these critics wrong.”

Madueke left Chelsea’s Club World Cup-winning campaign in the United States last Friday to complete his medical at Arsenal. He had an impressive season, scoring 11 goals for Chelsea and earning his first senior international caps under England’s interim manager Lee Carsley and his permanent successor Thomas Tuchel. However, Madueke will miss Arsenal’s upcoming tour of Singapore and Hong Kong due to Chelsea’s commitments at the Club World Cup.