Arsenal submit initial bid to sign Noni Madueke, Chelsea expecting higher fee for player: Reports

Arsenal have reportedly submitted an initial bid of £50 million, including add-ons, for Chelsea's Noni Madueke. However, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues want more for the English attacker. They see Anthony Elanga's imminent transfer to Newcastle United for a fee of £55 million as a reference.

Madueke has a good relationship with the Gunners and has already agreed on personal terms with Mikel Arteta's side. The Englishman has played in the academies of Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace. He joined Chelsea from PSV Eindhoven in August 2023 on a long-term deal.

Since then, Madueke has played 92 games for the Stamford Bridge outfit across all competitions, scoring 20 goals and providing nine assists. Last season, despite missing eight games due to a hamstring injury and health issues, the Englishman made 46 appearances and also scored 11 goals.

He was Chelsea's fourth highest goalscorer, after Cole Palmer (15), Christopher Nkunku (14), and Nicolas Jackson (13). Interestingly, Palmer and Nkunku's tally also included four penalties each.

The 22-year-old's contract with Enzo Maresca's side would expire in the summer of 2030. However, the Blues are looking forward to offloading the Englishman following the arrival of Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro.

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Enzo Maresca lauds Chelsea for their performance in the FIFA Club World Cup

Enzo Maresca has claimed that he's happy with his team's performance in the Club World Cup. The Blues defeated Fluminense 2-0 on Tuesday to reach the final, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

New signing Joao Pedro scored twice (18', 56') on his full debut to help Chelsea secure a berth in the summit clash in the United States. The Italian tactician said in the post-match press conference (via Ben Jacobs on X):

"We are very happy. We are very proud to play the final on Sunday. This is the first edition of the Club World Cup with the best teams in it, and we have reached the final. It's a great achievement."

Joao Pedro joined the Blues last month for a reported fee of £60 million from Brighton & Hove Albion. The west London club have made significant reinforcements in their attacking line-up this summer, also signing Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens.