Old coach tells Mudryk to leave Chelsea

Mykhailo Mudryk's difficulties at Chelsea have been attributed to the club's transfer strategy under Todd Boehly, coupled with managerial setbacks. As a result, a man who knows him well suggested that he should consider leaving Stamford Bridge.

Last January, Chelsea secured the signing of Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk ahead of Arsenal in a huge $110 million deal, sparking initial excitement among fans. However, this excitement faded into months of disappointment as the young winger grappled with both form and playing time under the management of first Graham Potter and then interim manager Frank Lampard.

Despite registering two goals under the guidance of new manager Mauricio Pochettino this season, including one against Arsenal, Mudryk's performance continues to shine brighter for Ukraine, where he has recorded two goals and two assists in seven games.

Carlo Nicolini, Shakhtar Donetsk's fitness coach, attributes Mudryk's struggles in England to the "team of individuals" that Chelsea has seemingly created through their extensive $1+ billion spending spree since the Boehly-Clearlake takeover. This extravagant investment has resulted in a mere eight league victories in 2023. Nicolini hinted that the player might fare better in a different environment.

"Mudryk needed to take one more step there, and then the war happened. He went to Chelsea, which is not a team. Individuals struggle there. In the national team, you can see the real Mudryk. He can do even more. He must find the right environment and a coach who gives him confidence. He has everything to rock, I hope he can show it because he is strong."

The so-called Real Mudryk is somewhere beneath the shell we saw over the past year in a blue shirt. But the recent revival under Pochettino suggests that Chelsea fans might see the best out of the Ukrainian talent.