Chelsea have completed the signing of Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, raising the possibility of Arsenal ramping up their pursuit of Noni Madueke.
Gittens, a 20-year-old winger, has become the fourth attacker to move to Stamford Bridge this summer after leaving Dortmund for £48.5m plus £3.5m in add-ons. Enzo Maresca is not short of options in the final third and the extra competition for places may cause Madueke to consider his future.
Chelsea’s attacking ranks will also be boosted by the arrival of the Palmeiras winger Estêvão Willian after the Club World Cup, with Liam Delap and João Pedro having already joined.
West Ham, meanwhile, expect the Stamford Bridge club will make a new offer for Mohammed Kudus if Madueke is sold. West Ham do not want to sell Kudus to Tottenham but are prepared to deal with Chelsea over the Ghana attacker.
The current plan is for Maresca to go into next season with as many as nine senior forwards in his squad. But Chelsea are also looking to make sales and are open to offers for Madueke, whose hopes of regular starts could be limited following the new signings.
Arsenal are understood to have discussed personal terms with Madueke and are weighing up whether to bid for the England international. Chelsea are not actively looking to sell the 23-year-old, who impressed after coming on when Maresca’s side beat Palmeiras in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup on Friday, but they are unlikely to stand in his way if he signals a desire to move to Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta is keen to bring in two new wide players and is also tracking Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze. Madueke’s appeal lies in his speed and ability to play on both flanks. He could provide cover for Bukayo Saka on the right and give Arsenal a left-footed option on the opposite side.
Chelsea will look for a sizeable fee if they are to sell Madueke, who has scored 13 goals and provided five assists in 67 Premier League appearances. They will point to West Ham looking for at least £60m for Kudus and Nottingham Forest seeking more than £50m from Newcastle United for Anthony Elanga.
Madueke has predominantly played on the right for Chelsea but will have competition from Pedro Neto and Estêvão next season, while Geovany Quenda is due to join from Sporting Lisbon next year. Chelsea are also monitoring Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and Lyon’s Malick Fofana.
Maresca was asked about Madueke’s situation after the win over Palmeiras. “Noni has been very important for us during this season,” he said. “Today, again, he has been important. But my message to the players and to the club is that I just want players that are happy to be with us. The ones that are not happy, they are free to go. It’s not for Noni, it’s for all the players we have.”
Chelsea are also open to offers for Christopher Nkunku and could send the 19-year-old winger Tyrique George on loan. Madueke would be the second player to move from Chelsea to Arsenal this summer after the Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga joined for £5m.
Brighton have confirmed the signing of the Belgian defender Maxim De Cuyper from Brugge. The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract, with the deal worth a reported £17.5m, and is set to link up with his new teammates for the start of pre-season training this weekend.
“Maxim is a creative left-back who has great experience at Champions League level as well as in the domestic league,” said Brighton’s head coach Fabian Hürzeler. “He has a great reputation for creativity and has shown his ability across different positions, although we primarily see him challenging for a left-back spot with us.
“Maxim arrives having won the league and cup in recent years with Brugge, so it is great that despite his young age, he clearly has a winner’s mentality. We are excited to work with him.” De Cuyper made his senior Belgium debut in June 2024 and has won 10 caps, scoring three goals.
Leaving Brighton is the defender Odel Offiah, who has completed a move to Preston. The 22-year-old arrives at the Championship club on a four-year deal, which Preston said was for a “seven-figure fee”.
Nottingham Forest have signed the Brazil striker Igor Jesus on a four-year deal from Botafogo. The 24-year-old has recently returned from the Club World Cup, where he scored twice, including the winner against Paris Saint-Germain. He was selected for Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers in October and November, scoring against Chile on his debut.
The arrival of Jesus boosts Forest’s frontline options, though Nuno Espírito Santo could lose Anthony Elanga, who is expected to join longtime admirers Newcastle in a deal worth about £55m. Forest are looking to PSV’s Johan Bakayoko as a replacement.
Jesus, whose nickname is “Little Frog”, said: “I’m really happy to be part of this new story, especially at a club like Nottingham Forest. I didn’t have to think twice about the offer. I am delighted to be coming here and hope to do some great work.”
The versatile Forest full-back Neco Williams has signed a new deal until 2029, while Ola Aina is also expected to commit his future to the club.
Manchester United have signed the Paraguay youth international Diego León. The 18-year full-back is their second signing of the summer after the arrival of the Wolves forward Matheus Cunha. León joins from Paraguayan club Cerro Porteño, where he played 33 games and scored four goals.
