Mykhailo Mudryk – Transfer Report: Is He Worth the Hype?

Chelsea’s fifth transfer of the winter transfer window saw a globally touted prospect choose West London over North London. Mykhailo Mudryk’s transfer to Arsenal was almost a done deal until Chelsea took it upon themselves to swoop in and steal him from under their noses.

Mykhailo Mudryk has been directly involved in more UPL goals than any other player this season:

◎ 12 games
◉ 7 goals
◉ 7 assists

And he's clocked fastest top speed in the #UCL

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 16, 2023

Mudryk, who was valued by Transfermarkt at 40 million euros, moved to Chelsea for a whopping 100 million euros. At this point, it really seems like Todd Boehly is throwing his money at any player who is being publicised by the media, but that’s a story for another day.

So why was Mudryk in such high demand, garnering interest from Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United, especially coming from a club outside Europe’s top five leagues?

Strengths

Mudryk is one of the most prolific and talented attackers in the world at the moment, recording 0.7 GCA per 90 and ranking in the top 98th percentile. He is explosively clinical, with a shot on target to total shots percentage of 66.7%, and 1.05 SoT/90. With an npxG of 1.1, he is equally adept at testing the keeper even from tight angles.

Mudryk mostly relies on his ball striking technique, as well as his tricky dribbling to outmaneuver opposing defences. He ranks in the top 99th percentile for through balls played, 97th  percentile for dribbles completed, and 86th percentile for crosses.

This is indicative of where Mudryk likes to play. He is often at times a half-space or wide player, isolating his opponent into 1 v 1s and beating them to deliver a cross or a cut-back into the box. His playmaking abilities also allow him to combine with his teammates for quick one-twos and through balls behind the opposition line.

His positioning allows him to cut in from wide and find space to test the keeper using his preferred right foot.

Mudryk’s decision-making is also an important factor of his gameplay. His ability to make the right call, whether it be a pass or a dribble, is incredibly impressive. Coupled with his ability to retain possession & play the killer pass, especially in tight areas through a brilliant understanding of the game and his opposition, he is crucial to the functionality of his team, especially in attack & attacking transitions.

Overall, it is justifiable to rate him as one of the most prolific attackers in the new era and it is exciting to see what is to come from him in the next few years.

Weaknesses

However, Mudryk is not a perfectly polished product, there are still a few eye-glaring weaknesses in his gameplay.

The most problematic issue is probably his first touch and ball control, recording 2.79 miscontrols per 90. If he continues such a trend for Chelsea in the Premier League, he could have a hard time trying to retain a spot in the starting eleven. With lesser time on the ball & Potter’s style of play heavily dependent on possession, Mudryk has to improve greatly in this aspect.

A major part of his weaknesses comes from the defensive side of his game. Ranking in the bottom first percentile for both interceptions and blocks, Mudryk’s defensive contribution is not just little, it is almost nonexistent. He has to work on both the technical side of defending, as well as the mental side of it. He is still young and his perception of defending as an attacker can still be influenced by mentors and coaches.

Potter has to convince Mudryk that he has to contribute effectively in defence for him to be a useful piece in his tactical plan, if not, Mudryk’s lack of desire to defend could come to bite both himself as a player and Chelsea as a team.

Fitting into Potter’s Plan

Mudryk would most likely play on the left side of Potter’s attack, replacing Pulisic in the 4-2-3-1. Mudryk’s comfortability with cutting in into the half-space synergizes well with Cucurella, Chilwell, or Hall’s offensive nature. His dynamic movement fits well into Potter’s philosophy, which includes smooth interplay and efficient one-twos.

However, in Potter’s high-intensity style, where pressing is innately important in winning possession back, Mudryk’s defensive output, or lack thereof, could severely harm their cohesiveness and structure as a pressing unit.

That being said, Mudryk’s technical ability, goal threat, and ability to retain the ball & pick out passes will come in extremely handy for Chelsea and should allow them to retain possession efficiently while creating a higher volume of chances.

Conclusion

Overall, Mudryk is indeed one of the best young attackers in the world currently, and it is a testament to his ability that so many high-profile clubs fought for his signature.

He has eventually signed for Chelsea and will hope to be a big contributor in what remains of the 2022/23 season for the West London side.

He will also significantly bolster Chelsea’s attack in the coming seasons after signing a bumper long-term contract with the club.

Mudryk will be working under a dynamic head coach in Graham Potter and still has a lot of room to grow and improve at only 22 years of age.

Also read: Cody Gakpo – Transfer Report: A Perfect Fit For Liverpool