Arsenal reach 'agreement' for Noni Madueke deal as top one-percenter prepares for Chelsea exit

Arsenal have reportedly reached a full agreement to sign England winger Noni Madueke from Chelsea in a deal worth £50m.

Having witnessed Nico Williams pen an unprecedented 10-year contract extension with Athletic Bilbao, the Gunners quickly made Madueke their primary wide target for the summer window.

The former PSV Eindhoven youngster is understood to have been keen on the move since the off, and he has already said yes to a five-year deal with Mikel Arteta's side.

Having got the thumbs-up from the player, Arsenal swiftly opened negotiations with their London rivals, whom they boast a positive transfer relationship with thanks to their regular dealings in recent years.

Kai Havertz, Jorginho, Kepa Arrizabalaga, David Luiz, Willian and Raheem Sterling have all made the move from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates in recent times, and Madueke is now set to be the next name in the lengthy list.

Arsenal, Chelsea 'agree' +£50m Madueke fee

Indeed, journalist Fabrizio Romano has given Madueke to Arsenal his trademark 'here we go', as a complete agreement has supposedly been reached between the two clubs over a deal for the 23-year-old.

The Gunners will supposedly pay more than £50m to bring the winger to North London - add-ons included - and he will soon make his move official once Chelsea's Club World Cup campaign is finished.

The Blues will take on reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's tantalising final, but Madueke is not expected to make the starting lineup, having only been a bit-part player in the USA.

Madueke started two of Chelsea's three group-stage games, but he is yet to make a first XI in the knockout rounds and has also failed to produce a single goal or assist in the 2025 tournament so far.

Ahead of what is expected to be his last appearance in a Blues strip, the 23-year-old has come up with 20 goals and nine assists in 92 appearances for the Conference League winners, including seven goals in 32 Premier League games last season.

Madueke to Arsenal: A good fit or a bad mistake?

Wingers moving from Chelsea to Arsenal do not tend to blossom at the Emirates Stadium; Gooners cannot purge the memories of Willian and Sterling quickly enough, although Madueke is hardly in the same category.

While the former two were past their prime when they joined Arteta's team, Madueke is yet to hit the peak of his powers, and the former Tottenham Hotspur youngster will bring a new dimension to the Arsenal attack.

Trumping every other Arsenal attacker with the ball at his feet, Madueke has averaged a staggering 6.82 progressive carries per 90 minutes over the past 12 months, putting him in the top 1% of wingers in Europe's top five leagues.

The England international is most comfortable on the right-hand side, where he should not expect to displace Bukayo Saka, but he possesses the adaptability that Arteta loves and can do a job on the left-hand side.

Both Rodrygo and Rafael Leao would have surely commanded heftier fees too, and Madueke has already shown the potential in the Premier League; now is the time to fulfil it.

Written by
Ben Knapton