Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has broken his silence on reports linking his top winger Noni Madueke to a move to Arsenal, MySportDab reports.
Madueke is understood to be a top target for Arsenal who are keen on boosting their forward wing options for next season.
The 23-year-old is also Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s preferred wing option with the Spaniard reportedly ready to break the bank to sign him this summer.
Whether the move is likely to come through cannot be determined.
However, Madueke, who has five years left on his Chelsea contract, has been key to the Blues’ squad since joining from PSV Eindhoven in 2023.
He made 23 Premier League appearances for the club in his debut season under former manager Mauricio Pochettino, scoring five goals with two assists.
In the just-concluded season under new manager Enzo Maresca, Madueke saw his appearance tally for the Blues in the English top flight ramp up to 32.
He scored seven league goals in that stretch providing three assists. In the ongoing 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the England international has also played an integral role in the team’s run-up to the semi-finals.
However, this hasn’t been enough to drown out uncertainties on his Chelsea future with reports that the club are open to selling him this summer as they double down on their move to trim down the squad.
Amidst these rumours, Maresca, who is focused on clinching his second silverware with the club, has now broken his silence.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup semi-final matchup against Fluminense, Maresca described the rumours as ‘noise,’ adding that the player isn’t and is in contention to start in the cracker.
“We had the same noise before Palmeiras, but we gave him half an hour, and he was very good. I have no doubt that if we need Noni, he can help us. It’s not easy to deal with the noise, but hopefully he can,” he said.
Maresca’s comment won’t drown speculations on Madueke’s Chelsea future, but has reaffirmed his trust in the player and a robust player-manager relationship as well.
He hopes to have the English forward focus on his game and performance especially against Fluminense as the team prepares for the rollercoaster.
