This summer, Noni Madueke made the switch from Chelsea to Arsenal, sparking controversy after a remark from a former teammate.
Madueke’s time at Chelsea was brief, lasting only one and a half seasons since his January 2023 transfer from PSV Eindhoven for around £28.5 million.
He had a strong start to the season under manager Enzo Maresca, including scoring a hat-trick against Wolves in August. However, by December, he had lost his spot in the starting lineup.
Maresca publicly criticized Madueke, telling him he needed to “work harder” to regain his place. With Chelsea adding Joao Pedro and Liam Delap to their attacking options this summer, Madueke chose to join their rivals Arsenal for approximately £48.5 million.
The move was met with backlash from some Arsenal fans, who even initiated a petition against his signing—an action condemned by Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.
Madueke debuted for Arsenal in a pre-season friendly against Villarreal, impressing supporters after coming on for Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing.
He expressed gratitude to his new fans on Instagram, saying, “Thank you Arsenal fans for the warm welcome yesterday. Playing at the Emirates for the first time as an Arsenal player felt so special.”
However, Chelsea fans were more intrigued by a comment from a current Chelsea youth player rather than Madueke’s post.
Heze Grimwade, a standout from Chelsea’s U15 squad, commented “Looked better in blue” followed by two eye emojis.
One fan remarked: “Proper Chels.”
Another added: “Honestly, blue is the color, so he’s just stating facts.”
A third pointed out: “There are eye emojis and heart emojis… It’s clearly friendly teasing.”
Grimwade, who has also played for Chelsea’s U18 team, is highly regarded at the Cobham academy.
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised Madueke’s versatility following his debut, noting his comfort playing on both wings ahead of the Premier League campaign.
Arteta said: “Noni is very comfortable playing on either flank, which gives us flexibility with inverted footed players. He’s a genuine threat; I wouldn’t want to face him. We want to create options with players comfortable on their natural foot, and he provides that.
“Today, you saw the quality and pace of his crosses into the box, which makes him a great asset.”
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