Twelve years after the famous 'what do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates?' tweet by the then-Liverpool owner John W. Henry, following Arsenal's £40,000,001 bid for Luis Suárez, it appears the club is still engulfed in delusion due to their persistence with Chelsea misfits.

Mikel Arteta's strange fascination with signing players from Chelsea has become increasingly difficult to ignore, as Arsenal look set to splash another significant amount on their London rivals' want-away fringe player.

The Gunners' interest in Noni Madueke is not only raising eyebrows due to his mixed record at Stamford Bridge, but also because of what it represents—a continuation of a recruitment trend that is fast becoming both baffling and frustrating to many within the fan base.

If Arsenal seal the deal for Madueke, it would be their fifth first-team signing from Chelsea since Arteta took charge in December 2019, a transfer route that was very unusual before his appointment.

Players Arsenal Have Signed From Chelsea Under Mikel Arteta?

Under the reigns of Arteta, Willian, Jorginho, Kai Havertz, Raheem Sterling, and Kepa Arrizabalaga have all made the switch from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates Stadium, while there have also been deals involving youth players.

With the potential arrival of Madueke, who is set to be worth around £50 million, the number rounds out with yet another high-profile recruit.

The return on these investments has been largely underwhelming. Despite arriving as a free agent but on a huge pay, Willian flopped spectacularly before finding new life at Fulham after a couple of years.

Jorginho, experienced and intelligent, had mixed spells of influence. The biggest eyebrow-raiser remains Kai Havertz, signed for £65 million when the funds could have been spent elsewhere to raise the squad level.

Arteta also signed Raheem Sterling on a season-long loan. A regrettable move that bore no positive fruit before the English winger was returned to his parent club at the end of the concluded season.

The Complicated Madueke Matter

Noni Madueke is the latest name linked with Arsenal. The winger has been at Chelsea since joining from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, and has failed to meet expectations due to his inconsistencies.

Madueke failed to secure his spot at Chelsea, who are constantly in their efforts to upgrade their team. They are keen to sanction the player's sale and even reported to be lining up Arsenal prodigy, Ethan Nwaneri, as a potential replacement.

If he does join, Madueke does so as a backup for Bukayo Saka. But for a player expected to cost around £50 million, that is an expensive bench role, which again raises the question, What do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates?

What do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates? 

This is where the concern deepens. The pursuit of Madueke could directly complicate contract extension talks with Ethan Nwaneri, one of Arsenal's brightest academy jewels.

Even though the club maintains Nwaneri is considered a midfielder, there is no way his minutes will not be affected with Madueke in. The youngster played on the right and performed well with Saka out injured last season. Madueke impacts his opportunity to rack up minutes.

It’s this scenario that has enraged fans. Many supporters feel Arteta has lost touch with their sentiment. And they are not far from right. The Arsenal boss has spent a fortune on players who were, in the end, redundant. Fabio Vieira, Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares, Takehiro Tomiyasu, to mention but a few.

Hindering that pathway of Ethan, for yet another Chelsea misfit, one who scored seven league goals last season despite his hat-trick on the second Gameweek. Even speculations of him being deployed on the left are not justified, because he falls short in comparison with both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

Frustration In The Fanbase 

There’s growing restlessness within the Arsenal fanbase. Online, forums and social media feeds have been littered with questions about the Hashtag #NoToMadueke. Their frustration is evident, asking if they have become a retirement home for their flops?

It’s not just the number of signings, but the trend’s nature. Most players have come to Arsenal either in decline or struggling for form. Chelsea rarely fights to keep them. There is a reason why the phrase 'Chelsea rejects' has stuck.

It becomes even worse because a potential deal for Madueke, as is being reported, will put an end to the pursuit of Eberechi Eze, who is clearly the better player, deemed a better fit too, and a former Gooner, who has in the past voiced his wish to return to the club.

A Pattern in Desperation?

Perhaps it isn’t an obsession. Perhaps it’s convenience. Chelsea's need to offload players to balance the books post-FFP scrutiny makes them easy targets. Arteta, knowing the league, might find familiarity in London trades.

But patterns matter. And this one screams short-termism, especially when it stifles internal growth. And if the manager is being adamant, why is the hierarchy not calling him to order? Is Arteta too powerful at Arsenal? Again, what do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates?

Arsenal fans had hoped their club had evolved past the days of opportunistic transfers. They want smart scouting. For a summer, they began with optimism, signing Noni Madueke for a significant fee, but now their reality, imminent.

Arteta’s recurring Chelsea purchases suggest an unsettling dependency, one that, if Madueke arrives, might come to define the era as much as any trophy or top-four finish.

In a summer window that should be focused on refining a squad that came inches from Premier League glory, the Madueke pursuit can't be more unnecessary.

There have been links with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, Rodrygo Goes, and Ebere Eze, but the Noni Madueke, the unnecessary deal, is the one they are most serious about, albeit he is with Chelsea at the Club World Cup in America, languishing on the bench.

And this deal, for all Arteta’s tactical nous, is where he may be getting it wrong. An unforgivable crime, not only if Madueke flops, but should the club come short again in the major competitions, come the new season.