The London pipeline from Chelsea to Arsenal continues. It centres on a transfer history in which the Blues have consistently dealt decisive blows on their counterparts — and Thursday evening’s bombshell could well follow in the same vein.
Noni Madueke’s imminent arrival in north London for a fee of £52million has already divided the Gunners fanbase.
On Wednesday, agitated Arsenal fans got the hashtag #NoToMadueke trending on social media. A petition was even launched the next day against his move, which follows a well-trodden path.
Among that cohort include David Luiz, Willian, Jorginho, Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling. Going further back there has been Ashley Cole, Olivier Giroud and Cesc Fabregas (albeit he wasn’t a direct transfer and arrived from Barcelona).
It begs the question: which club has benefitted more, and where could Madueke rank?
Noni Madueke’s imminent arrival in north London for a fee of £52m has divided Arsenal fans
Following on from the signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Arsenal have signed a player from Chelsea in six of the last seven seasons – with Madueke now set to be the sixth Blues player to arrive
Since 2019, Arsenal have paid a combined £142m in transfer fees to their London rivals
The first marker starts with Cole in 2006, arguably the finest left back in the world at the time who swapped Arsenal red for Chelsea blue in a move that still stings in north London.
In return, the Gunners got William Gallas and £5m — Cole went on to become a Champions League winner and a key part of Chelsea’s golden era. Lopsided indeed.
Arsenal then snapped up Yossi Benayoun in 2011, who did OK, whilst Chelsea continued to wrest their rivals’ crown jewels away.
The Gunners snapped up Yossi Benayoun on loan in 2011 — he did a decent job, but hardly a game-changer. Meanwhile, Fabregas’ return to London — not to the Emirates, where he made his name as a teenager, but to Stamford Bridge — hurt the Gunners, and was made worse by him winning the league in his first season back.
And then there’s Petr Cech. Chelsea allowed their club legend to join Arsenal in 2015, having gone way past his peak. The Blues had already lined up Thibaut Courtois as the future, yet Arsenal were handed the past.
Of late, the players shifted to Arsenal have often been mishits. Jorginho’s move in January 2023 saw the midfielder settle in quickly at Arsenal, impressing with his leadership skills off the pitch and stability on it.
David Luiz’s erratic two seasons had its moments, but the move of Willian was an unanimous flop.
The Brazilian signed a three-year deal but only lasted one season at Emirates Stadium and struggled to make any meaningful impact.
Arsenal received William Gallas and £5m in return for the sale of the best left back in Premier League history, Ashley Cole in 2006
Former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas returned to English football in 2014 with Chelsea and won the Premier League in his first season
Kai Havertz’s big-money move in 2023 raised eyebrows after he signed for over £65m
Even Havertz’s big-money move in 2023 raised eyebrows. Signed for over £65 million, Havertz left Chelsea after an underwhelming spell and joined Arsenal in what many saw as a gamble. It has paid off in spades, Mikel Arteta having found ways to utilise him, but it was not a bargain.
And finally, Sterling. The loan signing from August last year ended up being a disaster, starting just seven league matches.
It remains to be seen whether Madueke will be a success or not. He certainly will not be displacing Bukayo Saka on the right wing, which is his preferred position, so will need to adapt and prove himself on the left flank where Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard lie.
If the pattern does continue, Chelsea could again be found laughing to the bank.
