Noni Madueke warned leaving Chelsea for Arsenal was 'sideways move' with Blues not at risk of 'panic' after £52m sale to London rivals

Madueke's move across London has been described as a lateral move by former Chelsea midfielder Nevin. The England winger secured a surprise transfer to Arsenal last month after falling out of favour at Stamford Bridge under Blues manager Enzo Maresca.

Fans and pundits have expressed their shock over Arsenal's decision to bring in Madueke, with Bukayo Saka already a permanent fixture on the right wing for the Gunners. It's worked out well for Chelsea, who now have Pedro Neto and Jamie Gittens as options in that area of the pitch, and Nevin claimed the club will be happy to have made a profit on the 23-year-old.

Speaking to Compare.bet, Nevil said: "It’s a sideways move for Noni Madueke, it's not a step up, it's not a step down, it's a sort of sideways move, which is fine, it’s great. I don't like using too many Americanisms, but that's the Chelsea method and you have to understand it. So if you go and watch the way it works in the American game, American football or baseball, that's just the deal. They do it and they try to make it work. They're much more comfortable than we are.

"We're beholden to it and heartbroken when our favourite players go. It's kind of not like that really. And I don't think Americans see it that way. I don't think Chelsea see Noni Madueke as an average player or a poor player. He's an England international. He's a young player who's getting better all the time. I think it's a great move for him.

"From Chelsea's point of view, they'll get a load of money, right? That's great. So they'll make a profit. Great, that's what they like doing. They've got other players, they've got Jamie Gittens, they've got Pedro Neto. They're okay, they're fine, they're all right. So it's not a panic for Chelsea."

Madueke signed for the Blues from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 for a fee of around £28.5 million (€32.6m/$37.8m) and helped the London giants win the Conference League and Club World Cup at the end of the 2024-25 season. However, his move to Arsenal had become an open secret before the win over Paris Saint-Germain and he was not included in the squad for the final.

Madueke was not part of the Arsenal squad that lost to Tottenham in a pre-season clash on Thursday. The Gunners have friendlies lined up against Villarreal and Athletic Club before their Premier League campaign begins with a trip to Manchester United in two weeks.