Arsenal's dream transfer scenario: €50m star handed escape route

14 Sept 2026 11:06 BST |
4 min read

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Arsenal winger Noni Madueke has reportedly attracted interest from Atletico Madrid and Juventus ahead of the upcoming winter transfer window.

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The 24-year-old, who moved to the Emirates Stadium from Chelsea last summer, has played second-fiddle to Bukayo Saka throughout his short stint in north London to date and he has once again failed to work his way into favour so far this term.

Madueke has only played 23 minutes out of a possible 450 in the Premier League and Champions League since the beginning of the 2026-27 campaign, and he is unlikely to usurp Saka following his compatriot’s excellent start to the new season.

The England winger appears to be ahead of Max Dowman in the pecking order as things stand, but the 16-year-old is undoubtedly a better future prospect and Mikel Arteta should therefore begin to reduce Madueke’s involvement even further to bolster the development of one of Europe’s most exciting youngsters.

Dowman caught the eye during several first-team appearances last season and there is significant reason to suggest that Arsenal would benefit from promoting him above Madueke given his obvious world-class talent.

To do this without disrupting team harmony, however, the Gunners would need to offload Madueke.

The former Chelsea attacker, whose Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) currently stands at just shy of €50 million, would likely have multiple suitors in the Premier League if Arsenal place him on their ‘for-sale’ list in 2027, while Atletico Madrid and Juventus have already registered their interest in his signature.

That is according to a surprise report from CaughtOffside, who claim that both clubs are considering moves in January amid Madueke’s lack of game time so far this season.

Arsenal handed perfect Noni Madueke escape route

Madueke has perhaps been unfairly scapegoated since his return to England with Chelsea and he was a much-maligned figure for the Three Lions at this summer’s World Cup.

The 24-year-old is extremely dangerous when faced one-vs-one with full-backs and his blistering pace is a real asset in transition. However, his final-ball is often poor and given he has only scored eight goals in 47 games for Arsenal, it’s clear that Arteta’s side may need a better option to deputise for Saka.

Madueke is certainly talented, but the chance to offload him to Atletico Madrid or Juventus could be perfect for Arsenal, who would likely recoup a significant portion of their €56m investment.

A sale would also give Arteta the perfect platform to hand Dowman a more prominent first-team role as he continues his development with the north London giants. Arsenal would be losing an established Premier League star if Madueke departs, but it’s a deal certainly worth completing if it gives Dowman the platform to demonstrate his elite talent.

The teenager was a bright spark whenever he was handed a first-team opportunity last season and given he is eight years younger than Madueke, it’s a no-brainer decision.

Dowman is the perfect age to learn under Saka’s tutelage for the next few seasons, while picking up consistent substitute minutes, before eventually replacing the England international in the future.

Madueke, meanwhile, has never been able to regularly impact games at the highest level and if Arsenal receive an attractive proposal in 2027, they would be foolish to block a departure.