By Victor Kanayo
Chelsea on Sunday, just before their English Premier League (EPL) clash announced the completion of a stunning £88million deal for Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk.
The Blues captured Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk on a massive eight-and-a-half-year deal.
This was after the west London club beat Arsenal at the 11th hour to the transfer.
Having led the race for months – with the player making little secret of his desire to join Arsenal on social media – the Premier League leaders were beaten to his signature by Chelsea.
Mudryk was paraded on the pitch at half time of Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace and watched the game from a box in the stands.
As Arsenal continued to negotiate over the structure of their offer for the Ukraine winger, a Chelsea delegation, including co-owner Eghbali and director of global talent Paul Winstanley, flew to Belek in Turkey, where Shakhtar are based, to tip the deal in their favour.
Premier League leaders Arsenal had made their third proposal of £62m plus £20m in potential add-ons on Thursday and had maintained dialogue since over the structure of the fee.
Yet Chelsea countered on Friday with £62m and a further £26m in add-ons.
Mudryk becomes Chelsea’s fifth signing this January, joining David Datro Fofana, Joao Felix, Benoit Badiashile and Andrey Santos through the door.
He was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates over the summer, and in September, it was reported that Mudryk was interested in moving to Arsenal.
After a Champions League match for the Ukrainian club, Mudryk said: ‘I think every guy dreams about the Premier League.’
Arrival comes as Graham Potter looks to arrest Chelsea’s sharp decline in form and results. They are on a run of three consecutive defeats, sitting some 10 points outside of the top four places and a further 19 off the summit.
Mudryk made clear his own interest in Arsenal, including wearing a Gunners shirt on his Instagram story.
He previously called the 40-year-old Arteta a ‘top coach’ on New Year’s Eve when he was in the opposing dug-out to Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, who used to take charge of Shakhtar.
Before that Premier League clash, De Zerbi called Mudryk ‘a future Ballon d’Or winner’ if he was confirmed as an Arsenal player.
He was named Shakhtar’s player of the year twice in a row in 2021 and 2022.
The winger has made eight appearances for the Ukraine national side so far, since earning his first cap in May 2022.
Thereafter, Chelsea edged their way to a nervy 1-0 win against Crystal Palace that eased the pressure on the embattled Graham Potter, courtesy of Kai Havertz’s second-half header.
Neither side entered the contest with any form to speak of, with the scrutiny on Potter after just one win in eight games, while the visitors had only a single victory in their previous six matches.
