Mykhailo Mudryk: Ukraine Boss Tips Winger to Be Chelsea’s Key Man Next Season

• Chelsea hijacked Mykhailo Mudryk from their Premier League rivals Arsenal in January
• The Blues paid £89m and signed the Ukrainian to eight and a half years contract
• He has played seven games, yet to score a goal and is struggling to adapt to his environment

Mykhailo Mudryk's transfer story is undoubtedly one that will be around for a very long time after he joined Chelsea for £89m despite being the Gunners' primary target.

The transfer fee looks outrageous, considering he had played just 27 league games since turning pro and had nine goals in the Ukrainian Premier League before the move.

The Gunners quickly moved on and signed Leandro Trossard, 28, from Brighton after missing out on Mudryk. The Belgian has slotted in seamlessly and has racked up attacking contributions.

The utilisation of the former Shakhtar Donetsk star by Chelsea head coach Graham Potter has certainly raised questions as fans demand more than just one assist in seven games from their marquee signing.

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Mudryk backed by Ukraine boss

The 22-year-old is on international duty as they look forward to the Euro 2024 qualifying game against England at Wembley on Sunday.

Interim boss Ruslan Rotan has called for patience for Mudryk and tipped him to be Chelsea's main man next season despite his slow start to life in England.

‘‘Mykhailo is a great talent, and fulfilling his potential is right ahead of him. In a couple of months’ time, he will play a key role in the Premier League. He’s one of the diamonds in our team, and we cherish him,’’ he told reporters as quoted by Metro UK.

As reported by Football London, any possibility of beef between Mudryk and Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko over the January fiasco was buried at the Ukraine training camp ahead of the England game.

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Mudryk pays tribute to Drogba

Mudryk's brightest game in a Chelsea shirt so far came in the 3-1 win over Leicester City. He helped himself to a goal and an assist, though the goal was later ruled out for offside.

As Sports Brief reported, he did a knee slide celebration, weaving out his arm at intervals, appearing to pay tribute to Didier Drogba, who did the famous celebration on many occasions during his successful time at the club.