Noni Madueke is closing in on a move to Arsenal. On Thursday, Arsenal and Chelsea agreed on the terms for the winger, and by Friday, reports indicated that the documents had been exchanged. Madueke has been granted permission to leave Chelsea’s Club World Cup camp to complete his medicals with Arsenal.
This weekend, he is expected to be unveiled as a Gunner.
Once confirmed, he will become Arsenal’s fourth signing of the summer following Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard.
But Arsenal’s summer business does not stop there. It is obvious which deal the club should now fully focus on completing.
Striker Priority as Tour Deadline Looms
The Gunners are set to jet off to Singapore on 19 July for the start of their Asian pre-season tour.
The pre-season fixtures:
Wednesday, 23 July: AC Milan – Singapore National Stadium
Sunday, 27 July: Newcastle – Singapore National Stadium
Thursday, 31 July: Tottenham – Kai Tak Stadium
Wednesday, 6 August: Villarreal – Emirates Stadium
Saturday, 9 August: Athletic Club – Emirates Stadium
According to The Daily Mail, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that he wants the striker to be on the flight to Singapore.
Determined to address Arsenal’s goal-scoring issues, the Spaniard likely wants his new No.9 embedded within the squad, ready to gel with team-mates, absorb tactical instructions and hit the ground running.
All Eyes on Gyökeres
By now, it is no news that the striker Arsenal are most keen to land is Viktor Gyökeres.
Aside from an agreement over the transfer fee, the deal is as good as done. The Swede wants to move to North London and has done virtually everything to make that happen.
Sporting CP is holding out for £69 million, while Arsenal remains firm in its position not to go that high.
But with Arteta’s deadline fast approaching, there is a strong feeling that the coming week could bring the compromise needed to push this transfer over the line.
Following the Madueke swoop, even with links to Eberechi Eze and a wait over Rodrygo’s transfer decision, the spotlight is likely to shift entirely to the striker situation.
Securing a top-class goal-scorer has long been a priority. It is the missing piece in Arsenal’s title push.
Should the Gyökeres deal be finalised, Gooners can breathe easier, believing once again that 2025 could be their season.
Thoughts appreciated in the comments.
Daniel O
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Get Gyokeres Deal done to make us happier please
The imminent arrival of Madueke will have put paid to any interest in Rodrygo and now our focus will turn to securing Goykeres who seems genuinely determined to join us .If we secure the signature of the Swede, is there a need to recruit Eze when our needs are greater in terms of bringing in a viable back up for Saliba?I suspect the Eze deal will be dependent on us selling 2/3 players and i should imagine moves are afoot to bring this about.
After Madueke next Eze then clearouts like Zinchenko then onto January transfers. If the midfield is filled with super stars in Ode, Saka, Merino, Zubimendi, Madueke, Eze, Martinelli, Nwaneri and Trossard that means 90% of the offensive part is covered with best players and the experienced and reinvigorated Jesus and Havertz are capable enough to effectively cover the rest 10%. For me requiring a no.9 after all these stars are bought is just obsession. We should only thank the owners and the recruitment staff. After MADUEKE then EZE is necessary as he has wonderful skill to pull defenders toward him thereby making the rest offensive players free and make their tasks easier.
Totally agree with the above.
Very good assessment !
Harvertz will still be the main man upfront.
I hope not. He isn’t prolific and never has been.
While i suspect your suggestion that the recruitment of a central striker has become an “obsession” will not be acceptable to a large majority of fans, i can see where you are coming from.Indeed PSG have proved how successful a team can be without a recognised physical centre forward but they have made up for this by terrific rotation which has created spaces for their excellent front three.They are a side which do not have an obvious weakness, and they have two exceptional full backs who would walk into a World eleven.
Another post in a different story mentioned PSG, but so what? F C Barcelona were the highest scoring team in Europe last season (and domestically the most successful in Spain, winning everything) and they certainly DO have top quality strikers in Lewandowski and Raphinha – either of which has a goal tally we can only dream of at Arsenal.
Horses for courses and the experience of past seasons has surely shown us which type of horse we should be getting in this window.
Mac the man. Thanks! I even think if both Jesus and Havertz were not injured, that team could have won either the EPL or UCL even both. We shouldn’t underestimate the experiences of the two veterans. I however know lots even majority of fans don’t buy this idea. They’re still in new striker obsession though there is a grain of truth in their assessment as well. PSG is doing miracles in Europe and the World without a recognized no.9. The chemistry of offensive players compensate for the absence of a no.9. Tbh pervasive and brutal injuries ruined Arsenal’s season. The coach’s only mistake is he didn’t anticipate injuries in his plan and failed to add a marginal attacking player in January. If EZE is added, we can say Arsenal are equipped with lethal ammunition upto the nose.
“if both Jesus and Havertz were not injured, that team could have won either the EPL or UCL even both.” Sorry, but I think that’s nonsense.
Jesus is injury prone and clearly so, so you can’t wish that away, but even when he wasn’t injured, he wasn’t a prolific striker. His best season in the EPL was with City in 2019-20 when he played 34 league games and scored 14 goals. However, he’s only got into double figure three times since arriving in the EPL nine seasons ago – that season, and earlier for City in 2017-18 (11 goals) and, for Arsenal in 2022-23 (11 goals).
Likewise, Havertz isn’t a natural goal scorer either. Rather spookily, just like Jesus he too has only reached double figures three times in nine seasons. Twice way back with Bayer Leverkusen (2018-19 – 17 goals, 2019-20 – 12 goals) and once with Arsenal (2023-24 – 13 goals). Those are poor tallies for supposedly out and out strikers.
What works for PSG doesn’t necessarily work for other clubs. Also, as I said in an earlier post, F C Barcelona “proves” the exact opposite. It’s what works best for Arsenal, and we know what hasn’t in the past few years.
Apparently the deal to sign Gyokeres will happen this.
*week.