On 15 January 2023, when Chelsea signed Mykhaylo Mudryk for 70 million pounds, many predicted that the London outfit had signed a world-beater. The Ukrainian wonderkid had already lit up the Champions League before his move to Chelsea in the January transfer window, showcasing his talent against seasoned champions ‘Real Madrid’ while playing for his old club Shakhtar.
Mudryk had the world at his feet, and with his intricate dribbling and electrifying pace, many bet on him to be the best young signing Chelsea had made in years, and let’s be honest, Chelsea have signed a lot of players over the years.
But it’s been close to two years, and the Ukrainian hasn’t lived up to the hype and potential that we all expected. Often seen as an irritated individual, the winger hasn’t had his luck in the Premier League, often getting bullied by defenders and, of course, finding it difficult to match the intensity of the English league.
With the change in managers, from Lampard to Pochetino, maybe the young Ukrainian has longed for some stability and a consistent run in the team. And with so many players and competition in this Chelsea squad, one can find himself lost, even after being highly skilled and talented.
But maybe, just maybe, things are starting to finally click for him with new manager Enzo Maresca at the throne. In a recent clip, the entire Chelsea team were training before their UEFA Conference League game against Panathinaikos.
Maresca was seen engaging himself with the Ukrainian, potentially talking tactics, positioning, and general tips to improve Mudryk’s overall game. It was also in the news that as Maresca likes his wingers and forwards to play narrower and as an inside forward—someone who scores goals inside the box—Mudryk might find it difficult to further cement his place in the team.
But, after this recent clip, fans across social media were quick to point out the wholesome moment between the coach and player. Many described Maresca as finally the manager who really wants the Ukrainian winger to blossom and grow into his full potential. It’s very easy to label someone like Mudryk as ‘lazy’ or someone who maybe doesn’t use his brain on the pitch or even trains hard. But under the right man or coach, any talented player can blossom into his full potential, and fans believe that’s exactly what’s happening with Mudryk under Maresca.
The Italian manager, while he has held no prisoners in terms of picking his players, with his recent exile of Raheem Sterling from the team, along with many players, has remained trustful and supportive of Mudryk throughout this time, whether it be in press conferences or training, and yesterday night the Ukrainian delivered and showed us all why his manager has been backing him and providing him with all the tips and support to be successful.
Against PAOK last night, Mykhaylo didn’t only play his new inside forward role to perfection but also managed to get on the scoresheet and assist his teammates twice as Chelsea defeated the Greek outfit 4-1. The Ukrainian has already registered 5 assists (stats by transfermarkt) in all competitions this season, which is already twice as many as what he had managed last season. And after he got his first goal of the campaign last night, fans are predicting things to only be better for the young starlet.
Maresca was full of praise for the winger in his post-match interviews, and so were the Chelsea fans. It looked like whatever the Italian said to Mudryk, in training or afterwards, had worked, finally on the pitch. With Mykhailo Mudryk maybe realising his full potential, Chelsea fans would hope that Maresca is the man to help him achieve that.
Footballers are a tough nut to crack, aren’t they? Even after so much talent, training, and perks, they still need the right coach or trainer to guide them to their maximum limit. Some need an authoritarian figure who challenges them to train hard, like Jose Mourinho (who motivated the likes of Zlatan, etc. with his tough mentality), or some may put an arm around your shoulder and be your best mate, like Jurgen Klopp. Chelsea fans would just hope that no matter what blend of this mix their new head coach is, he manages to lift the Ukrainian speedster to the heights he was destined to when their club paid all that money for him a couple of years ago!