Better than Madueke: Chelsea Preparing Move for ‘Magnificent’ £47m Star

Chelsea are closing in on potentially being crowned champions of the world, with just two matches left to play.

They secured their spot in the Club World Cup semi-finals on Friday night, winning 2-1 against Palmeiras in Philadelphia.

Cole Palmer opened the scoring, but Chelsea-bound Estêvão Willian quickly equalized with a superb strike. Malo Gusto`s late cross was then deflected in for an own goal by Agustín Giay, giving Chelsea the victory in Pennsylvania.

Enzo Maresca`s team will now face Fluminense in the semi-finals on Tuesday in New Jersey. As the third Brazilian team they`ve encountered this summer, they are considered strong favorites to reach the final, where they would play against either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Chelsea continue to be very active in the transfer market, as is their usual practice. João Pedro recently made his debut off the bench, and Jamie Gittens has also joined the club. These arrivals could signal the departure of another forward player.

Update on Noni Madueke`s future at Chelsea

According to reports by Sam Dean and Sam Wallace of the Telegraph, Arsenal are preparing a £50m offer for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

David Ornstein of The Athletic notes that the England international has already `agreed personal terms` with the Gunners, suggesting this deal is likely to happen. If it goes through, Madueke would become the tenth player to move from Chelsea to Arsenal in the modern era, with six of these transfers occurring since 2019.

From Arsenal`s perspective, this list shows a mixed record, with Chelsea supporters often viewing these moves as offloading unwanted players. However, could a highly-rated teenager be making the switch in the opposite direction?

Chelsea targeting Madueke upgrade

According to a report by Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are closely monitoring Ethan Nwaneri`s contractual situation at Arsenal and are `ready to attack the situation`.

The 18-year-old, who only became eligible to sign a professional contract in March, currently has just one year remaining on his deal with the Gunners. James McNicholas of The Athletic has reported that `talks are at a delicate stage`, as Arsenal are keen to secure the future of such a `valuable prospect`.

He adds that before committing to anything, the £47m-rated youngster wants assurances regarding his playing time, following a breakout season at Arsenal. He saw 1,378 minutes of action across all competitions, including starting 11 Premier League matches, and scored nine goals.

For context, despite his age and playing significantly fewer minutes (1,246 less), he scored only two fewer goals than Madueke across all competitions, highlighting his immense potential and talent.

Indeed, Nwaneri is only the third player to score nine goals before their 18th birthday for a Premier League club, following in the footsteps of legends like Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.

Described by Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout as a `magnificent talent`, he could potentially be the ideal long-term replacement for Madueke. However, if regular first-team opportunities are the teenager`s priority, Chelsea might not be the best club to join, considering the numerous wide-attacking options already available.

It`s fair to say Enzo Maresca has a considerable number of options out wide, even with Mykhailo Mudryk currently banned and a couple of others, including the aforementioned Madueke and João Félix, likely to depart.

Nevertheless, could Nwaneri potentially be the standout talent among them?