Noni Madueke: Enzo Maresca confirms Chelsea winger's departure for Arsenal

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·11 juillet 2025

Noni Madueke: Enzo Maresca confirms Chelsea winger's departure for Arsenal

England international has not started since the Club World Cup group stage

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Enzo Maresca has reacted to Noni Madueke’s move to Arsenal, saying Chelsea were powerless because “Noni decided to leave”.

On Friday, Madueke was granted permission to leave Chelsea’s Club World Cup camp in the United States and return to the UK to undergo a medical ahead of his £52million move to London rivals Arsenal.

Madueke was an important player for the Blues last season but attracted interest from Arsenal earlier in the summer.

It emerged that the winger was open to leaving Stamford Bridge, and that the club in turn were willing to grant his sale if a club offered a fee north of £50m.

He has already played his final game for Chelsea and will not feature in Sunday’s Club World Cup final against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Asked whether Madueke had been allowed to fly to the UK to compete his move to Arsenal, Maresca said in a press conference on Friday: “Yeah, Noni is in contact with the new club. I guess that he’s going to leave in the next hours.”

Maresca, asked why Chelsea had agreed to sell the 23-year-old to a direct rival, replied: “I said in one of the last press conferences, in the end if players want to leave, it’s difficult for the club and for the manager.

“Noni decided to leave. No one said to Noni: ‘You have to leave’. Noni decided to leave, and if he’s happy, we’re happy.”

Against fellow finalists PSG, the west Londoners face an almighty challenge to get over the line and win the first-ever 32-team Club World Cup when they meet on Sunday.

Paris hammered Inter Milan 5-0 in the largest margin of victory in the history of the European Cup final in May, and on Wednesday they thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 in a one-sided semi-final to reach the final.

“I agree with most people who say they are the best team in Europe, the best team in the world — and the reason why is that they are showing it,” Maresca said.

“We have maximum respect for them, but at the same time we are here to try to win the final.”