Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed that winger Noni Madueke is on the verge of completing a move to Arsenal. A £52 million deal was agreed between the London rivals. The 23-year-old has left Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad ahead of their final against PSG. He left to undergo a medical in London, with official confirmation of the transfer expected within hours. Speaking in a pre-match press conference, Maresca was candid about the situation: “Noni is in contact with the new club,” Maresca said. “I guess he is going to be (announced) in the next hours.”“I said in one of the last press conferences, if players want to leave then it is difficult for the club and the manager. Noni decided to leave, nobody told Noni he had to leave. If he is happy, we are happy.” Madueke, who joined Chelsea from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, struggled to cement a consistent starting spot under various managers, despite showing flashes of his potential. His move to Arsenal makes him the latest player to cross the London divide. He will bolster Mikel Arteta’s attacking options, particularly on the right wing.  The deal adds to Arsenal’s proactive summer window, with other targets such as Eberechi Eze, Rodrygo, and Cristhian Mosquera also on the radar.

Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has signed a one-year contract extension with Real Oviedo, the club announced on Saturday. Cazorla, who turns 41 in December, joined Oviedo in August 2023. Last season, he helped his boyhood club return to La Liga for the first time in 24 years. He made 81 appearances for Spain, winning the European Championship in 2008 and 2012. He also lifted the FA Cup twice during his time at Arsenal. “With this renewal, Santi Cazorla, a symbol and emblem of Oviedo, proves that dreams, when pursued with the heart, come true,” the Asturian club said in a statement. “Real Oviedo have secured the leadership of a footballer who embodies the club’s values like few others, both on and off the field,” they added.

Athletic Club defender Yeray Alvarez has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance. The test followed the club’s Europa League semi-final match against Manchester United on May 1st. The 30-year-old centre-back said the substance was taken “involuntarily” through medication used to treat hair loss. Alvarez has been using the medication since recovering from testicular cancer. “After overcoming my illness, I have been taking a treatment against alopecia for years,” he said.“After studying the issue, we have found out that the positive test came because I involuntarily took a preventative medicine against hair loss which contained a prohibited substance.” Alvarez was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016. He returned to play in 2017, but suffered a recurrence later that year and made a second comeback in 2018. He added: “The disciplinary proceedings are currently in an investigatory phase and confidential, so I am provisionally suspended and I am not authorised to make further public comment.” Alvarez featured in the second leg against Manchester United and also played two more La Liga games before the season ended. He said he received notice of the positive test result “a few weeks ago”. “I could not believe it, given that never in my life have I taken prohibited substances,” said Alvarez. Athletic Club said in a statement that they “lament the human error of Yeray” and pledged to support the defender during this time. The club added that they could not make further comments. UEFA has not yet responded to requests for comment.