Arsenal are on the verge of securing a £52 million deal for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, but not all fans are thrilled.
Thousands of Gunners supporters have taken to Change.org to oppose the move, with a petition titled #NOTOMADUEKE amassing over 4,000 signatures within hours of going live on Wednesday.
Madueke, 23, has emerged as a surprise target for Mikel Arteta as he looks to bolster his attacking options this summer.
Arsenal have already agreed personal terms with the England international, and club executives have reportedly spoken to those who have worked closely with him to assess his fit at the Emirates.
Despite the club’s growing confidence in the move, not everyone in the fanbase is convinced.
“Arsenal fans deserve better,” wrote petition creator Blaze Fifty. “We are so close to success and instead of capitalising on the squad we have it seems we are moving 2 steps back just like the 3 previous transfer windows. We can surely do better than Madueke & [Viktor] Gyokeres — show some ambition, repay the fans the same way we’ve backed the club for the past 2 decades.”
The reaction online has been fierce and divided. While some Arsenal supporters have criticised the petition as “embarrassing,” others are questioning the club’s transfer priorities.
“Absolutely disgraceful behaviour, we really are the worst fan base in the world,” one fan posted on X. Another added, “Sometimes it’s really embarrassing following Arsenal when the tiny minority behave like this for all to see.”
Rival fans also joined the conversation, with one commenting: “They could be anybody from any clubs. Any genuine fan would back the club’s choices.”
Another questioned the logic behind the backlash: “This is the same team that have been crying for a backup for Bukayo [Saka] and then suddenly Madueke is not what you want? Which top player will want to come and be a backup to Bukayo?”
Meanwhile, Madueke remains part of Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad and is expected to feature in the final against Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday. He’s appeared as a substitute in Chelsea’s last two matches, and manager Enzo Maresca has remained tight-lipped about his potential departure.
“I don’t have any doubts that if we need Noni, he will help us,” Maresca said earlier this week. “I can understand when there is noise around you, it is difficult to deal with that.”
As negotiations between Arsenal and Chelsea near completion, the debate among fans rages on, but it appears the Gunners are pushing forward regardless of the online uproar.
