January 15, (THEWILL) – Chelsea have confirmed the signing of 22-year-old Ukrainian forward, Mykhaylo Mudryk, from Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Blues secured the player’s signature at the expense of English Premier League London rivals, Arsenal, who had been long-term admirers of Mudryk and initially looked in pole position to sign him. The forward has signed a mammoth eight-and-a-half-year deal with Stamford Bridge and is keen to get started at Stamford Bridge.
“I’m so happy to sign for Chelsea,” Mudryk said after completing his move. “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 teammates and I’m looking forward to working and learning under Graham Potter and his staff.”
Mudryk’s signing is Chelsea’s fourth January deal after David Datro Fofana from Molde, Benoit Badiashile from Monaco and Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama. With the Blues currently struggling in the EPL, Club owner, Todd Boehly, seems determined to spend his way out of trouble, as he looks to equip manager, Graham Potter, with the right players to help climb the table.
Mudryk was reportedly very keen on a move across London to the Emirates Stadium but was swayed by Chelsea’s late offer. With Shakhtar publicly stating they wanted €100 million for his services, the Blues were more than happy to splash the cash as the Gunners seemingly dragged their feet.
Mudryk has scored 10 goals and eight assists in 18 appearances for Shakhtar in all competitions this season, including three goals in six UEFA Champions League outings. He has played eight times for the Ukraine national team since making his debut in June. He was presented to the Chelsea faithful on Sunday, as he was in the stands for the clash with Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
