Major blow for Arsenal as Noni Madueke is ruled out for two months
Noni Madueke won't play until November due to a knee injury
Arsenal will be without summer signing Noni Madueke for around two months because of a knee injury sustained in Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Manchester City.
The England international was withdrawn at half-time after suffering the setback early on.
Madueke, 23, will now miss several important games for the Gunners in both the Premier League and Champions League as well as, potentially, the remainder of the Three Lions’ World Cup qualifying campaign.
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Which games could Madueke miss?
Port Vale v Arsenal – EFL Cup
Newcastle v Arsenal – Premier League
Arsenal v Olympiacos – Champions League
Arsenal v West Ham – Premier League
England v Wales – World Cup qualifying
Latvia v England – World Cup qualifying
Fulham v Arsenal – Premier League
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid – Champions League
Arsenal v Crystal Palace – Premier League
Burnley v Arsenal – Premier League
Slavia Prague v Arsenal – Champions League
Sunderland v Arsenal – Premier League
England v Serbia – World Cup qualifying
Albania v England – World Cup qualifying
What does it mean for Arsenal?
It is yet another injury blow for Mikel Arteta, who is already without the likes of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.
The good news is Bukayo Saka replaced Madueke against City having recovered from a hamstring injury but he will need to be eased back.
Gabriel Martinelli can also be used off the right, as can 15-year-old Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri.
But losing Madueke, who arrived from Chelsea for an initial £48.5million on July 18, is undoubtedly a blow after the player quickly won over his new fans with a series of impressive displays.
Noni Madueke stats
After a youth career with Tottenham and Crystal Palace, Madueke rejected an offer from Manchester United and joined PSV as a 16-year-old in 2018, going on to score seven goals in seven starts and 17 substitute appearances during a breakthrough 2020/21 season in the Eredivisie.
Chelsea signed him for around £30m in January 2023 and the Londoner contributed 13 goals and five assists in 67 Premier League appearances for the Blues.
A regular for England at youth levels, Madueke helped Lee Carsley’s Young Lions win the Euro Under-21 title in 2023 and made his senior debut when Carsley was caretaker boss in September 2024, including an assist in a 2-0 win at home to Finland.
He has made nine England appearances and produced three assists and a goal since then, scoring in the 5-0 win in Serbia in World Cup qualifying on September 9 and setting up goals including Harry Kane’s winner against Andorra in manager Thomas Tuchel’s first away game in June 2025.