Chelsea are still taking things “very slowly” with Mykhailo Mudryk, despite spending £89 million ($109 million) on the Ukrainian winger in January.
The Blues had anticipated that the jet-heeled attacker would be an instant success at Stamford Bridge, with competing interest from Arsenal rebuffed in order to complete a big-money transfer deal.
Mudryk, on the other hand, has struggled for form during his time in English football, with the 22-year-old still waiting for his first competitive goal. Mauricio Pochettino believes in the teenager because he provides different traits to his youthful group, although he accepts that adaptation will take time.
Pochettino has stated of bringing out the best in Mudryk, who joined the Premier League from Shakhtar Donetsk:
“The life of these guys, when they are so young, (it) changed. You pay big money, big change form where they came. Also it’s not about to arrive and to perform when you are young. It’s about to adapt, it’s about to help them to settle. Then the most difficult thing is to understand what these guys need to settle and to feel comfortable and to express their talent. If you ask me about Misha, he’s a very talented player of course, but you need to go with him very slowly. Cultural and everything is completely different to Latin people, from different countries or part of the world. He’s now trying to be more open, to adapt and be more involved in every situation, not only on the field but outside also. I think he’s doing a massive effort to try to integrate himself and to understand better what it means to play like a team. He’s unique. I can’t find a player to say he is similar. I can’t remember one. It’s a good challenge for him, and it’s a good challenge for us.”
Mudryk has started Chelsea’s last three games as they look for a collective spark after an uninspiring start to the 2023-24 season, and the Blues will be back in action on Monday against west London rivals Fulham.
