Chelsea ‘in talks with agent’ to bring £31m star to Stamford Bridge

Chelsea ‘are in talks’ with the agent of PSV Eindhoven winger Noni Madueke over a possible January move, journalist Simon Phillips has told GiveMeSport.

The Blues have already brought in Joao Felix on a six-month loan deal from Atletico Madrid this January but don’t appear to have ended their search for further attacking reinforcements.

Chelsea transfer news – Noni Madueke

A recent report from The Times has claimed that Chelsea are considering a move for Madueke as they look to replace the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic.

And transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has stated in a column for CaughtOffside that the 20-year-old is one of many players ‘appreciated’ by the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.

“Chelsea follow really many players, yes Madueke is one of many players appreciated but they also know PSV Eindhoven have already sold Gakpo and they will try to keep all their stars. Last summer, they were looking for more than €35m (£31m) to sell Madueke,” Romano said.

Madueke only put pen to paper on a four-year contract back in August, though, meaning Chelsea may have to pay a premium price to prize him away from the Philips Stadion.

What has Phillips said about Madueke?

Phillips has provided an update on Madueke’s situation, stating that Chelsea are in dialogue with his representatives but that his injury record is a concern for club chiefs.

In an interview with GMS, he said: “I was told that Chelsea are in talks with his agent as well to try and sign him.

“But he has a bad injury history, and obviously, this is something that Chelsea are concerned about. So, I don’t really know what stage those talks are at right now.”

Would Madueke be a good signing?

Madueke moved to PSV from boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur back in 2018 in search of an easier route to senior football, and his bold decision has certainly paid dividends.

The England Under-21 international has registered 20 goals and 14 assists in 79 appearances across all competitions for the Eredivisie giants, claiming one Dutch Cup along the way, leading to him being labelled “explosive”.

However, Madueke has missed 54 games through injury in his short time with PSV, as per Transfermarkt, highlighting why the Chelsea hierarchy have their doubts over his fitness record.

Whether it would be sensible for the west London outfit to take a gamble on Madueke is up for debate, but Graham Potter could surely do without another player prone to lengthy spells on the sidelines.