Chelsea will be wondering what they have to do to get the best out of Mykhaylo Mudryk after another disappointing season from the £88million signing. Fortunately, the solution is already staring Enzo Maresca in the face.
Mudryk was hooked at half time during their heavy 4-1 defeat to Celtic on Saturday after an anonymous display, as Mudryk struggled to get into the game and appeared to be lacking match fitness.
But the Premier League side could resolve the issue that has plagued Mudryk for 18 months since his high-profile transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk – starting by signing one of his former team-mates, Georgiy Sudakov.
Shakhtar are understood to now be looking for upwards of £60m for the midfield talent, who is looking to leave war-torn Ukraine to join Mudryk in England. Chelsea are among the clubs to have been linked with the 21-year-old, along with Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle.
Despite being warned of the pitfalls of the Premier League by Mudryk, Sudakov is keen to reunite with his close friend in England.
“We are in touch on a daily basis,” Sudakov told the i. “He is a big friend of mine. Over the last two months he has played a lot more and has been much more successful.
“The beginning for him was quite tough, mentally and physically, but step by step he is getting there. When we play in the national team together I have seen how much he has grown as the season has progressed.
“I was telling Misha [Mudryk] about how much I want to play in the Premier League and how it would be great to play in the same team. Misha told me that I was not ready for the kind of pressure that happens in England and if I do come I need to be ready for that. But I am.”
Not only would having a familiar face like Sudakov help Mudryk adapt to life in England, the pair’s telepathic link-up for Ukraine on the pitch is undeniable. If the club decide to sell Conor Gallagher this summer, Sudakov would be a prime contender to take his place.
Chelsea could also solve another issue for the struggling winger by cutting their losses on Raheem Sterling. The £47.5m signing has been a huge disappointment since his big-money move from Manchester City and the west London club are said to be open to offers.
Sterling has shown little desire to pursue reported interest from Saudi Arabia this summer and is determined to win big trophies with Chelsea. But as the club’s top earner on £300,000-a-week wages, Chelsea could reduce their wage bill by sacrificing him.
Realistically, only Paris Saint-Germain or a club from the Saudi Pro League could afford to sign the 29-year-old this summer, considering Chelsea would also demand a sizeable fee to sell the England international.
