Mykhailo Mudryk previously indicated a desire to join Arsenal but only Chelsea matched the £88.5m asking price; the 22-year-old has signed eight-and-a-half-year contract with the Blues
Sunday 15 January 2023 17:43, UK
Chelsea have signed winger Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in a deal worth £88.5m.
Mudryk previously indicated Premier League leaders Arsenal were his preferred destination in a series of social media posts. Arsenal remained in talks as recently as Friday but were prepared to walk away from the transfer if the deal was not right.
But Chelsea agreed a deal with Shakhtar on Saturday night and the 22-year-old travelled to west London to complete a medical before signing an eight-and-a-half-year deal.
"I'm so happy to sign for Chelsea," Mudryk said.
"This is a huge club, in a fantastic league and it is a very attractive project for me at this stage of my career. I'm excited to meet my new team-mates and I'm looking forward to working and learning under Graham Potter and his staff."
Todd Boehly, Chelsea chairman, and Behdad Eghbali, co-controlling owner, said: "We are delighted to welcome Mykhailo to Chelsea. He's a hugely exciting talent who we believe will be a terrific addition to our squad both now and in the years to come. He will add further depth to our attack and we know he'll get a very warm welcome to London."
Mudryk becomes Chelsea's fifth signing of the January transfer window, following the arrivals of Joao Felix, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos.
Speaking after Sunday's 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace - which saw Mudryk presented to the fans at half-time - Graham Potter detailed why he was keen to sign the winger, who he believes will "excite" supporters.
"I think you’re never surprised in the transfer window because things happen sometimes like you don’t expect them to happen," said the head coach.
"In terms of what he brings, he’s a young player with a big future. Exciting one vs one, he attacks the backline, can go in wide areas but also affects the goal.
"He’s a really exciting player and I think our supporters will really like him."
Potter also laughed off worries about Mudryk's eight-and-a-half-year contract, saying: "I’m the head coach and as you know, I’ve got enough to worry about without thinking about contract lengths. I’ll leave that to the club.
"I’ll try to support as best I can. I’m just looking forward to working with him. If I’m here for the remainder of his contract, we’ll all be happy!"
Gary Neville on Super Sunday:
"Chelsea have gone all out for him and Arsenal will be disappointed.
"I was at Arsenal's last Premier League against Newcastle, where they didn't have a substitute to bring on, and obviously they have [Gabriel] Jesus injured, so they need someone.
"They haven't given it the priority, Chelsea have nipped in, they have an army of forwards and it's an ambitious project shall we say at Chelsea."
At the start of last season, he was an unknown outside of Ukraine with a transfer value of under £1m. Now he is one of the most coveted young players in Europe. Following an explosive rise, Mudryk looks destined for big things.
The 22-year-old, who showcased his thrilling speed and one-on-one ability in the Champions League group stage earlier this season, has been described by Darijo Srna, Shakhtar Donetsk's director of football, as "the best player in Europe in his position" after Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.
There may be a hint of exaggeration to that statement but Srna is not the only one to hold Mudryk in high regard. His list of suitors is a long one with Chelsea closing in on the race to sign him.
