Chelsea star with seven goals in 62 games told he 'can win the Ballon d'Or'

Ukrainian star Mykhaylo Mudryk has been tipped for future Ballon d’Or glory by his international colleague, despite a rocky start at Chelsea following his high-profile move from Shakhtar Donetsk. The winger’s transfer fee could hit a staggering £87 million, but his performance so far hasn’t lived up to the hefty price tag.

Mudryk’s tally of seven goals and five assists in 62 appearances hardly reflects the potential that prompted Chelsea to outbid Arsenal for his services. His development has been hampered by a managerial merry-go-round at Stamford Bridge, with Bruno Saltor and Frank Lampard among those taking temporary charge before Enzo Maresca replaced Mauricio Pochettino.

With new signings like Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, and Jadon Sancho adding to the fierce competition on the wings, Mudryk needs to step up his game. However, Georgiy Sudakov, who played with Mudryk at Shakhtar and shares the national team dressing room, remains optimistic about his compatriot’s prospects.

Speaking to The Guardian in August, Sudakov expressed his confidence in Mudryk: “Mykhaylo is an incredible player, he has no upper limit and he can win the Ballon d’Or with his qualities. But everything depends only on him. I believe he will be able to show his best qualities. Ukraine is an incredibly talented country and he is a great example for us to follow.”

Maresca was forthright in his assessment of Mudryk’s lacklustre performance after subbing him out at half-time during Chelsea’s staggering 6-2 drubbing of Wolves, a match that saw Noni Madueke shine with a hat-trick. Addressing the decision to substitute Mudryk at the interval, the Chelsea boss said unapologetically: “Because I was not happy.

“In some moments we can manage some situations better. He was working hard off the ball but on the ball, I expect a bit more quality from Misha. He had some good moments today but the reason why was to change it and give Pedro some minutes.”

After a less-than-impressive display in Chelsea’s opening round against Servette in the UEFA Conference League play-off, Mudryk’s substitution signals he has much to demonstrate if he is to retain his spot on the team.

With the likes of Madueke, Neto, Felix, Sancho, Christopher Nkunku, and Cole Palmer as competition, Maresca has plenty of options to replace an out-of-form player in upcoming fixtures.

The recent £54m purchase of Neto serves as a stark challenge for Mudryk. Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley issued a stark warning to Mudryk, telling ESPN: “Mykhaylo Mudryk is just going to be a waste of time, as a starter. Pedro Neto will play there. He came on there, but he will play. Mudryk is just not consistent enough.”