Cucurella blasts Madueke’s ‘strange’ Chelsea exit

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has taken a swipe at former teammate Noni Madueke for leaving the club’s FIFA Club World Cup camp prematurely to finalize his high-profile move to Arsenal.

Madueke, who featured in five of Chelsea’s six games en route to the final in the USA, left the squad before their title-clinching victory over Paris Saint-Germain to complete a £52 million switch to the Gunners.

His absence meant he missed lifting the trophy with his teammates.

Speaking during a Q&A at his football academy in Spain, Cucurella described Madueke’s decision as a missed opportunity.

“Yes, I think so,” he responded when asked if the move was strange. “He wasn’t a starter, but I think everything happening with his future affected him.

“Delaying it a day wouldn’t have cost him anything. He missed a pretty good opportunity.”

The Spaniard then made a tongue-in-cheek comment about the missing winner’s medal.

He suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump, who presented the trophy to Reece James, might now be in possession of Madueke’s medal.

“He [Trump] put it in his pocket. He has it there in the White House, very well placed,” Cucurella quipped.

Madueke, 23, has signed a five-year deal with Arsenal through 2030 but was left out of their pre-season tour of Asia due to his recent participation in the Club World Cup.

He leaves Chelsea after making 92 appearances and scoring 20 goals since joining in January 2023.