Arsenal are reportedly ready to submit a first offer for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.
The latest update comes after it was revealed on Saturday that Madueke has reached an agreement with the Gunners, giving his approval to a proposed move across London. But talks between Arsenal and Chelsea are yet to get underway to negotiate a transfer fee.
Arsenal are getting ready to send an opening bid for Chelsea to consider, Fabrizio Romano reports. The transfer specialist also added some detail about the contract Madueke is believed to have agreed with the Gunners—five years until the summer of 2030.
Madueke is thought to be valued at £50 million ($68.3 million), but it is a price tag that is “open to negotiation” according to Ed Aarons of The Guardian.
As a reference point, Chelsea agreed an estimated £28.5 million ($38.9 million) fee with PSV Eindhoven when they signed Madueke in January 2023, and so stand to make a sizeable profit. Ironically, he scored his first Chelsea goal against Arsenal a few months later.
Enzo Maresca was asked about Madueke’s Chelsea’s future in the wake of the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal win over Palmeiras, a game in which the 23-year-old appeared off the bench.
“Noni has been very important for us during this season. But my message to the players and to the club is that I want just players that are happy to be with us,” Maresca said.
“The ones that are not happy, they are free to go. It’s not for Noni, it’s for all the players we have. But again, Noni has been very good during the season and very good [against Palmeiras].”
Madueke operated on both the left and right flanks for Chelsea. But even with Jadon Sancho’s exit, the arrivals of Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, João Pedro, Estêvão Willian and Kendry Páez has added enormously to the level of competition for attacking places.
At Arsenal, the likelihood is that Madueke would compete with Gabriel Martinelli for a starting place on the left, as well as being the first point of cover for Bukayo Saka on the right.
READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS AND RUMORS FROM WORLD SOCCER
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Ready to Make ‘Opening Offer’ for Noni Madueke.