Man United legend and Premier League pundit Rio Ferdinand is not having it with a section of Arsenal fans kicking against the signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea, MySportDab reports.
We conveyed in our earlier reports that Noni Madueke is set for a new challenge with Arsenal after the red side of London agreed terms with Chelsea for a deal worth £55m for the player.
At the time of filing this report, he has reportedly left the Chelsea FIFA Club World Cup camp in the USA and is back in London for his medicals, signing of contract and official unveiling.
However, some Arsenal fans trended the #NoToMadueke hashtag on Friday in the wake of reports that the club have sealed agreement with Chelsea for the player.
According to them, Noni Madueke is an average player and forking out £55m for an attacker of his class, who is not even assured of regular first-team action, is not a good move.
Meanwhile, some fans took this protest further with about 4000 of them signing a petition that the club should back out of the move for Madueke.
Close sources also report that irate fans storm the Emirates and destroyed some murals in the wake of the protest, calling for Mikel Arteta to be sacked.
In a lengthy reaction post on X to the uproar by the Gunners’ fans, Rio Ferdinand has slammed them for irrationality and ‘vulgar behavior.’
“Like I said earlier just imagine this was your best friend, one of your family members, your brother, son…then tell me how would you feel if they were on the receiving end of this vulgar behaviour ???,” an excerpt of his rebuke on X reads.
Noni Madueke is Arsenal’s fourth signing this summer after Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga. He is also a second player to join the Gunners this from the Blues’ fold after Arrizabalaga.
