Chelsea surprise with Mudryk
The 100 million man that hardly anyone knows
By Emmanuel Schneider
01/17/2023 4:56 p.m
Chelsea continue to throw money around to get the big sporting crisis under control. Among other things, the “Blues” get the previously unknown Ukrainian Michailo Mudryk for 100 million euros. A remarkable transfer in many ways.
Hardly anyone in football is surprised about 100 million euro transfers. Investor clubs have called up gigantic sums too often in recent years for the world to scratch their heads. However, it is different in the case of the Ukrainian Mychajlo Mudryk, for whom the troubled Chelsea FC spent just that magic sum. But it’s not just the fee alone that makes this move exciting. There is also the squabbling with Arsenal FC, the new competition for German international Kai Havertz, the noble gesture of his ex-employer and the fact that the insane sum is being invested in a player who is likely to be largely unknown to many fans . Also on the island.
Mykhailo Mudryk moves from Shakhtar Donetsk to the “Blues”. As the Ukrainian club explains, the fixed 70 million euros will be followed by a further 30 million euros in bonus payments as a direct transfer. So turn the 22-year-old into a 100 million man. Also amazing: Mudryk’s contract runs for eight (!) years. Until 2031. Apparently a kind of sleight of hand by Chelsea to look better in terms of financial fair play. Due to the long contract term, the large amount of transfer money can be better written off.
Mudryk is expected to collect 170,000 euros per week
Now the transfer was surprising in that it was said until recently and for a long time that city rivals and Premier League leaders Arsenal would win the race. English media reported that the deal was only a matter of form. Mudryk also hinted. But then Chelsea are said to have outbid their rivals in the final meters last weekend. 100 instead of 90 million. So far, so normal football madness. Mudryk is expected to collect 170,000 euros per week.
At the London club, the outside player meets international Havertz. The question is: how long? Chelsea have been on an extreme shopping spree in recent weeks and have signed five players so far. In addition to Mudryk, also David Fofana, centre-back Benoit Badiashile,. Midfielder Andrey Santos and Portugal striker Joao Felix on loan. This means that the club of the new owner Todd Boehly has to save something somewhere. According to media reports, there is a kind of cross-off list on which Havertz should also be, who at least slowed down the crash of the “Blues” on Sunday with his winning goal against Crystal Palace. Chelsea brought Havertz to London in 2020 for 80 million euros.
Mudryk is now even more expensive. The 22-year-old is not yet a big name on the big stage. That was also due to the fact that he had played at home up until now. The left winger has been under contract with the permanent champion Donetsk since 2018. The first two seasons but he was still awarded. Nobody doubted his talent, but he certainly had his attitude. The breakthrough did not come until 2021. The dribbling Mudryk has been on the offensive ever since. His outstanding qualities are speed and speed duels with the ball.
A candidate for the Ballon d’Or?
Due to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, league operations were severely shaken up last year and temporarily stopped. In the current crisis season, the offensive man scored seven goals and six assists in twelve games. In the Champions League he has a strong five scorer points (three goals, two assists), especially RB Leipzig mixed up in September. He has also played regularly in the Ukrainian national team since 2022. In the eight games he remained without a goal involvement.
His ex-coach Roberto de Zerbi even sees him as a future candidate for the Ballon d’Or. But first, more mundane things are on the agenda. At Chelsea, he should play a leading role in lifting the team and coach Graham Potter out of the crisis. The traditional club is only tenth in the Premier League table, far from their own ambitions.
25 million euros for families of soldiers
There is a mixed mood at his releasing club after the record transfer. Actually, he should keep players of such caliber if he wants to win European trophies with Donetsk himself, said Shakhtar President Rinat Akhmetov. But you also know the value of the fee. The president wants to donate a large portion of the proceeds from the gigantic transfer to the victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Today I directed an amount of 25 million euros to help our soldiers, defenders and their families,” Akhmetov said. The money is to be used for medical care, psychological help and prostheses, among other things. A big gesture after a big transfer.
Lots of stories about a anything but ordinary 100 million transfer. One that would probably have been a rather minor side note last summer. At that time, it was said, a Bundesliga club was about to sign the Ukrainian. Bayer Leverkusen is said to have offered 20 million euros. That’s when this transfer story was just getting started.