(Reuters) -Arsenal have signed England winger Noni Madueke from Chelsea on a long-term deal, the north London club announced on Friday.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but British media reported the deal between the London rivals to be worth 48 million pounds ($64.5 million), with a further 4 million in add-ons, with the player signing a five-year contract.
The 23-year-old Madueke joined Chelsea from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and made 92 appearances in all competitions, scoring 20 goals and providing nine assists.
Born in the north London suburb of Barnet, Madueke trained in the academies of Crystal Palace and then Tottenham Hotspur before making the switch abroad to PSV Eindhoven at the age of 16.
"I've just been relaxed, waiting for the green light and when I came in today, it all felt real. I'm really happy and really proud, so it's a great moment for me. It's great to go back home, be with my mum, my dad. I know my mum misses me in the house," Madueke said in a statement.
"It's already a great team with a clear identity and I can't wait to bring my style to the team and try and help the boys as much as possible to take that next step."
Madueke, known for his direct dribbling and speed, has featured predominantly on the right wing for Chelsea but is capable of playing on both flanks.
His arrival could give Mikel Arteta the flexibility to rotate more frequently, easing the workload on right winger Bukayo Saka and left winger Gabriel Martinelli, both of whom were sidelined with hamstring injuries at the same time in February last season.
"Noni joins our group with familiar England teammates and other players he knows... His arrival will really improve our squad," Arteta said.
"At just 23, Noni already brings experience of club and international football, and he knows the Premier League very well. Having seen the quality of Noni's performances up close in recent seasons, we're really excited he is joining us."
Arsenal begin their 2025-26 Premier League campaign on August 17 with a trip to Manchester United.
($1 = 0.7444 pounds)
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
