Mykhailo Mudryk: Chelsea signing’s rapid rise to prominence with Shakhtar Donetsk

At the start of last season he was unknown outside Ukraine with a transfer fee of less than £1m. Now he is one of the most prestigious young players in Europe. After explosive growth, Mykhailo Mudryk seems destined for big things.

The 22-year-old, who showed his exciting pace and versatility in the Champions League group stages earlier this season, has been described as “the best player in Europe” by Shakhtar Donetsk’s director of football Darizo Shrana. His position “after Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

There may be a hint of exaggeration in that statement, but they are not the only refuge in which the currency is held in high esteem.

His list of seekers is long but this is it Chelsea have edged out Arsenal to sign him on an eight-and-a-half-year deal.

Shakhtar are adamant about protecting their huge valuation of the player – “If someone wants to buy Mudric, he has to spend a lot of money and respect our club,” Sarna recently added – but is the hype justified?

Attitudes change under De Zerbi

Mudric has long been seen as a player of great potential in Ukraine, where he started at Metalist Kharkiv’s academy before moving to Dnipro and then Shakhtar, but it took much longer than most to see him flourish.

Former Shakhtar manager Paulo Fonseca saw his potential during his tenure, bringing him into the first team and giving him his senior debut in 2018 at the age of 17.

For all of Mudric’s talent, though, his attitude drew skepticism.

“He sometimes didn’t do what the coach told him,” Shakhtar captain Taras Stepanenko recently reflected. Meanwhile, Fonseca expressed his concern after a friendly win over Azerbaijani side Qarabag in January 2019.

“Mykhailo scored today, but he still has a lot to learn,” he said. “I’m definitely convinced of his talent, but first of all, he has to understand that there are still many ways he can improve… He has to change his attitude on the pitch a bit.”

Mudric was sent out on loan to Ukrainian Premier League rivals Arsenal Kyiv after just a few weeks. Another loan spell, this time at Desna Chernihiv, will follow, with Shakhtar hoping more exposure at senior level will help him mature.

But this was only after the appointment of Roberto de Jerby, now from Brighton, in the summer of 2021, when Mudric was valued at less than £1 million. transfer market, His fortunes – and indeed his attitude – began to change again at his parent club.

“Everyone knows Mudric is an amazing talent but many coaches can’t connect with him,” explained Srna, adding that one of De Gerby’s first tasks in charge of Shakhtar was to pick up the phone for the on-loan youngster. .

“He told him, ‘You can be a player with me, or you won’t be a football player,'” De Gerby added via phone call. “From that day on, Mudric changed things completely.”

De Zerbi Mudryk made a personal project.

“I need to not only win leagues and cups, but also play well in the Champions League, but also educate young players,” he said. “Mudrić is one of the best young footballers in Europe. If I don’t bring him to the highest level, I will consider it a personal defeat.”

Mudryk was one of several Shakhtar academy products thrown into the squad by De Zerbi and he emphatically rewarded his faith, with the winger becoming a regular starter before the 2021/22 campaign was disrupted by the pandemic, and later broke into Andriy Shevchenko’s national team.

A Champions League breakout turns heads

Doubts in Mudryk’s attitude quickly disappeared and soon his abilities were coming to the fore.

Indeed, since his breakthrough at the start of last season, he has provided nine goals and 13 assists in 23 Ukrainian Premier League appearances – and that despite the upheaval caused by Russia’s invasion and the pandemic in that country.

The numbers are impressive but it’s on the European stage that Mudric has really turned heads.

He was mainly used as a substitute during Shakhtar’s group stage campaign last season, but he certainly made his mark in his first start, with his impressive display in the 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid earning him plaudits from the home fans. When the Bernabeu was substituted in the second half.

It was a pivotal moment in Modric’s rise to prominence and this season he has continued to grow in stature by starting all six of Shakhtar’s group games and contributing three goals and two assists, a feat bettered by only seven players in the competition so far.

Celtic will not remember their meeting with him fondly.

In the first game in Warsaw in September, Mudric ran in behind Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic to score Shakhtar’s equalizer with a powerful, diagonal finish from Heorhi Sudakov’s through-ball. .

Then, a month later, at Celtic Park, he again made another decisive contribution, scoring another equaliser, this time with a stunning individual effort from outside the box as Ange Postecoglou’s side crashed out of the competition after a counter-attack.

Mudric was even better in the 4-1 win over RB Leipzig two games ago, setting up Shakhtar’s opener after darting in from the left and outfoxing his marker with a series of stepovers, then finishing off a sharp counter-attack himself. Before producing another assist with a low cross for striker Lacina Traore.

Mudric’s main strengths were plain to see in those games – his speed and power when cutting in from the left to use his strong right foot; his speed in transition; His clinical finishing ability – and his ability to do it at the Champions League stage – only added to his appeal to a growing list of suitors that included Arsenal.

Chelsea’s interest is clear

Chelsea’s lack of firepower has seen them secure a loan deal for Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix, who was sent off on his debut against Fulham on Thursday, but Mudric has been the target of rumors since the start of the window.

Having scored just 21 goals in 18 Premier League games this season, the Blues are desperate to improve their attacking output.

Part of Mudric’s appeal is his ability to play both sides. He usually prefers to operate as a left-handed winger, but he is also happy on the right.

When asked about his favorite position in an interview, he said, “It’s more comfortable for me when I play on the line where I can show all my potential against one.” the time In September.

“I have a lot of space going forward and I can create a lot of chances when I play on the line. There are a lot of people in the middle. But, you know, the middle is fine for me too.

“My inspiration is Cristiano Ronaldo because of what you can do if you work hard and believe in yourself. I like Cristiano’s way of playing. That’s how I see myself – a winger.”

That’s not to say he might not be comfortable playing centrally one day as well – “I need more time to change my position from 11 or 7 to 9, but over time it’s possible,” he added. the time – But he is above all the player who carries the most danger from the flanks.

What happens next remains to be seen but it seems increasingly likely that Mudrić, although a little-known figure outside of Ukraine a year ago, has a bright future ahead of him.