Mykhaylo Mudryk may be fearing the worst after Chelsea decided to alter their transfer plans and are now prepared to sign Spain’s Euro 2024 star Nico Williams. The Blues have moved quickly after being beaten in the race to sign Michael Olise, but now Mudryk’s place in the team is under threat.
Mudryk likely would have been encouraged by the possibility of Olise heading to Stamford Bridge, as another option on the right flank, with Cole Palmer tipped to spend more time in a central role and create a more well-rounded trio behind Nicolas Jackson.
However, the arrival of Williams instead poses a direct threat to both Mudryk and Raheem Sterling’s minutes under Enzo Maresca. It would be deemed unlikely for the incoming boss to keep all three at the club, barring a positional change for one, even opening the door to a sale for either Mudryk or Sterling.
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It is the latest setback for Mudryk in his Chelsea career, having struggled to find his feet and some consistent form under Mauricio Pochettino in the Ukrainian’s second first full season at Stamford Bridge.
If their Euro 2024 performances are anything to go by, and Chelsea’s efforts to land Williams, the Spanish winger would likely start the Blues’ season-opener at home to Manchester City as the first choice on the left.
Chelsea blocked Mudryk from competing for Ukraine at the Paris Olympics this summer, but whether he will be trusted to play a key role going forward remains unclear, especially with his club ready to spend big again in the same position.
That is despite a recent rally call from former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was blown away when he faced Mudryk in a Celtic vs Shakhtar European match, and has tipped the 23-year-old to realise his potential.
“I’ve played against him when he was high on confidence when he was at Shakhtar and they were a pretty average team being honest,” Hart told the BBC. “We played well against them but he was such a threat the whole game. He smashed two past me over two legs and I was really excited when he signed in the Premier League I was like: ‘Watch this guy’.
“Look, he’s still young. Chelsea’s a bit of a difficult club to shine at the moment. But when they do find their feet and if he’s one of the wingers when they do find their feet who are stars in that team, which they will, I’m excited to see what he can do.”
Whether Mudryk will get the chance to live up to his £88m transfer fee, though, remains to be seen as a supreme talent in the form of Williams could soon arrive if his £47m release clause is paid.
