Arsenal’s £48million arrival Noni Madueke said his new club are capable of winning it all after leaving Chelsea to become Mikel Arteta’s fourth signing of the summer.
Madueke’s controversial move across London, which provoked a backlash from some Arsenal supporters, takes the club’s spending to beyond £120million so far.
Madueke, who has signed a five-year contract, follows Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who also joined from Chelsea, and Christian Norgaard in moving to the Emirates in the off-season, with Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera’s £13m deal also expected to be finalised shortly.
Arsenal remain hopeful of signing striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon, although it is not believed a deal, which could be worth as much as £65m, is imminent.
Madueke, 23, will provide competition to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in Arsenal’s wide areas and the club are confident his arrival will help fire them to a first Premier League title in two decades.
But the transfer, which could exceed £52m with performance-related add-ons, has been met with severe criticism by Arsenal supporters on social media. A petition against the England international’s move to the Emirates has attracted more than 5,000 signatures.
However, Madueke said: “I’m somebody who goes with my gut feeling a lot of the time and I feel like it’s steered me in the right direction so far. So I don’t think it’s going to be any different here. I think it’s going to be a great success and I’m really happy to be here.
“I’ve just been relaxed, waiting for the green light and when I came in today, it all felt real. I’m really happy and really proud, so it’s a great moment for me.
“It’s already a great team with a clear identity and I can’t wait to bring my style to the team and try and help the boys as much as possible to take that next step. (I want) to win all the competitions we’re in, I feel like we’re definitely capable of doing that.”
In a post on X, former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said Madueke had been “vilified”, “bullied” and “embarrassed” by the backlash.
He added: “It’s fine for fans to disagree with signings or decisions made at their football club but the way some fans have publicly voiced their opinions and those who have gone a step further in publicly joining a petition for this player not to be signed by their football club is beyond me.
“I have never seen anything like this before, and I hope I don’t ever again. Like I said earlier just imagine this was your best friend, one of your family members, your brother, son, then tell me how would you feel if they were on the receiving end of this vulgar behaviour?
“I just hope Noni Madueke rams all of this negativity back down the throats of these impostors.”
Madueke left Chelsea’s eventual Club World Cup-winning campaign in the United States last Friday to undergo his medical at Arsenal.
He scored 11 times for Chelsea across all competitions last season and was rewarded with his first senior international appearances under England interim manager Lee Carsley and his permanent successor Thomas Tuchel.
Madueke will be absent from Arsenal’s upcoming tour of Singapore and Hong Kong following Chelsea’s post-season exploits at the Club World Cup.
