'Terms agreed' - Chelsea to flog 'smart' £40m star to Premier League rivals after 18 months

Chelsea are poised to sell winger Noni Madueke to Newcastle United this summer with the player agreeing personal terms with the Magpies.

That's according to Football Insider, with the outlet reporting that the 22-year-old has now become a prime target for the Tyneside club. The Magpies are preparing to lose Miguel Almiron to Saudi Arabia and must add depth to that position.

A transfer fee remains to be settled between the two clubs but appears likely to happen. Madueke racked up just over 1,000 minutes in the Premier League under Mauricio Pochettino last season, having joined from PSV in January 2023, starting just 13 league matches.

Pochettino admitted that the winger had expressed his frustration with a lack of playing time last December. Speaking after he impressed from the bench against Crystal Palace, the Argentine said: "He played free. The difference is he did what we needed. I like it because he showed he was upset with me. He was disappointed with me because he didn't play too much - also because he's been injured. But now he says 'I'm going to show the coach he can trust in myself.' They need to show me I can trust them, mentality is important."

By the end of the season, as Madueke saw more and more minutes, Pochettino hailed the rising star as ‘smart and intelligent’ for his development.

The Blues paid £28.5 million to bring Madueke to the club from the Netherlands. The player came through the Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur youth academies before joining PSV as a youth star.

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The player had been linked with a move to Newcastle United before joining Chelsea in 2023 with Liverpool, Spurs and Leeds United also said to be interested in that time.

The Magpies had reportedly been targeting Crystal Palace man Michael Olise this summer but missed out on that move with the player choosing Bayern Munich. Attention now turns to Madueke with Jacob Murphy not thought to be a mainstay in the starting XI.

The club does have Paraguay international Miguel Almiron at their disposal but the winger is in 'advanced talks' over a £30 million move to an unnamed Saudi club. It is thought that Chelsea will look to make a profit on the £28.5 million paid for Madueke with their Premier League rivals expected to be quoted between £35 and £40 million.