Chelsea travel to New Jersey on Sunday to face French giants Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup.
Enzo Maresca’s side booked their place in Sunday’s showpiece with a 2-0 victory over Fluminense on Tuesday, while European champions PSG defeated Real Madrid 4-0 in a superb performance.
The Blues will hope to have influential midfielder Moises Caicedo available for the game, after the Ecuador international received treatment for an injury in the closing stages of the victory over Fluminense.
Liam Delap will also once again be available after serving a suspension in the semis, although Joao Pedro – who scored twice last time out – could once again lead the line.
Now, it has emerged that one member of Maresca’s squad has left their camp ahead of the final.
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, winger Noni Madueke has left the United States and returned to the UK ahead of a proposed move to rivals Arsenal.
Madueke is set to complete a move to Arsenal (Photo: Associated Press/Alamy)
The journalist claims that the England international is set to undergo a medical before completing his move to The Emirates.
Arsenal are said to have reached an agreement on Thursday for a £52 million deal to sign Madueke, who won’t be involved in Chelsea’s Club World Cup final clash with PSG.
Madueke, 23, joined the Blues from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven back in 2023 and has since scored 20 goals in 92 games for the club across all competitions.
Last term the Englishman featured 46 times for Maresca’s side, starting 27 of Chelsea’s 38 matches in the Premier League.
While the winger’s contract with Chelsea isn’t set to expire until the end of the 2029/30 season, Romano claims that Madueke is set to join the Gunners with the deal set to be formally completed in the coming days.