There are reports that Chelsea are willing to sell Noni Madueke for the right price, and as a club, it’s understandable from the business side, but is this really a good decision?
Chelsea have just finished a rollercoaster season and are currently in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup. For a club that hasn’t been at their best in the last few years, this season is one to remember.
Chelsea have not only finished in the top four this season, but they have also won the UEFA Europa Conference League and shown that they belong back with the big boys. With this growth, it is expected that a few changes in personnel will be made in the club.
Chelsea have secured the signing of Liam Delap and are set to sign Jamie Gittens. A few players like Nkunku and Sterling are expected to leave the club.
This past week, there have been reports that the Blues are willing to listen to offers for Noni Madueke and could sell the winger for the right price. While this may be a good business decision, selling Madueke may be a poor footballing decision.
An even worse decision will be selling Madueke to fellow Premier League clubs or even rivals Arsenal, who have been snooping around.
As a player, Madueke hasn’t been at his best, but this season, he has shown that he can hold his own. The stats haven’t been in his favor as he’s gotten 20 goals in 90 appearances for the Blues, but his performances this season show that with more game time and also playing in the UCL, he can perform at a new frequency.
When asked to play on the right or left, he has shown his skills and Maresca has mentioned that he believes a lot in Madueke. Selling him could ultimately hurt Chelsea because if, and when he reaches a new ceiling at a rival club, they would be the ones to suffer it.
Chelsea also signed Gittens to add numbers to their attack so take Madueke away especially when the team is at a crucial juncture. At Arsenal, he would most likely be a backup for Bukayo Saka who is guaranteed to start every game but at Chelsea, he can feed off the competition that comes with the big squad.
While Arsenal haven’t sent a proposal to Chelsea, the signs are there, indicating that selling Madueke may be a poor decision on Chelsea’s part.
