Arsenal have already “agreed a five-year contract” with Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Writing in his X account, Romano said that “direct talks” between the two teams are expected to take place very soon.
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The key stumbling block remains Madueke’s transfer fee. It has been claimed that the Gunners are hoping to secure his signature for around £40m.
However, Chelsea are said to value the England international in excess of £50m, citing the amount that Newcastle have paid for Anthony Elanga to justify their demands.
Why do Arsenal want to sign Madueke?
The fact that the 23-year-old can provide backup for Bukayo Saka, as well as being an option for the left wing, makes him an attractive target
However, you do have to question whether Madueke is the right candidate to be brought in. Saka does need to be rested occasionally, but he will start the vast majority of fixtures.
As Micah Richards has pointed out, it is difficult to see where the Chelsea star will play. He would be a useful player to have in the squad but is it really worth paying £40m to £50m for him?
Would Madueke’s arrival end the club’s interest in Rodrygo?
A lot still depends on who else is signed between now and the end of the transfer window. If the likes of Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze are also brought in, it is unlikely that the Gunners will have the budget to buy two wingers.
Rodrygo has still not decided whether he wants to leave Real Madrid, and he could cost close to £80m, so Mikel Arteta’s side may ultimately end up going for Madueke if they are reluctant to wait any longer for the Brazilian international.
In other news, we use AI to predict how many goals and Premier League titles Gyokeres will get if he moves to the Emirates