Official: Chelsea sign Noni Madueke from PSV Eindhoven

Chelsea’s January spending spree to end all January spending sprees continues today with the arrival of 20-year-old winger Noni Madueke for a cool £35m from PSV Eindhoven. That fee takes our total spend to £140m this month, doubling our previous winter record, from January 2011 (the Fernando Torres and David Luiz window).

Madueke, who has signed a 7.5-year contract with one-year club option (the new normal) through 2030(+1), certainly fits the bill for Chelsea’s methods to this madness: young, highly promising, not exactly cheap but still a bargain if he lives up to his promise. We seem to be stacking the team with such players — though in a slightly unbalanced, top-heavy way right now (all the wingers!) — which in theory should bear some very tasty fruit in the not-so-distant future.

A more immediate concern with Madueke is his injury history, with significant time missed in the last couple years, but hopefully he will grow out of that. He has still collected 80 appearances for PSV over the past 2.5 seasons, with 20 goals and 14 assists to boot.

“I’m really pleased to sign with one of the best clubs in the world in Chelsea. To return to England and play in the Premier League is a dream for me and my family and I can’t wait to get started. I am excited for what the future holds, the owner’s vision for the future and to be at a club like this and winning at the highest level.”

-Noni Madueke; source: Chelsea FC

Prior to his move abroad in 2018 at the age of just 16, he had spent time in the Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur academies. Born in London, he’s an England youth international, having represented the Three Lions at U21 level. He will qualify as homegrown for Premier League squad registration purposes, however will not qualify as same in European competitions because he left so young.

In any case, welcome, Noni, let’s win some things!