Chelsea ‘must move on’ after Mykhailo Mudryk ban update – ‘I feel sorry for them’
Chelsea have been told that they “must move on” after a massive update on Mykhailo Mudryk’s controversial situation.
Blues winger Mudryk is facing serious punishment for a doping violation and has been unable to play since he was suspended at the beginning of December.
The 24-year-old is two and a half years into an eight and a half year deal at Stamford Bridge, but after being charged by the FA last week (18 June), he is staring down the barrel of a four-year ban.
Since Todd Boehly and BlueCo acquired the club in May 2022, they have been handing out lucrative long-term contracts in an attempt to tie rising stars down for many years to come.
However, Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Mudryk situation is a good lesson on the perils of trusting younger and less experienced players.
‘Chelsea a casualty of their buy young policy’, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that there are big problems with buying players so young, as the money “goes to their head”.
Mudryk was 22 years old when he moved to Stamford Bridge from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, for an initial fee of £62million.
Wyness added that Chelsea are a casualty of their ‘buy young’ policy, and will now have to move on.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “They’ve obviously already lost the valuation of the player and it’ll be like a Paul Pogba situation as well coming up.
“It’s a tricky one. I feel sorry for everybody involved. I’m afraid sometimes it’s a casualty of the buy young policy because the young players get that big money quickly, and it goes to the head. We’ve seen it all before.
“It’s just a casualty of human beings, I’m afraid. It’s part of the situation that we’re in, in the game.
“I feel sorry for him. Without doubt, he’s a talent. He never really turned it on at Chelsea though, never really settled and did it. I think in many ways, they’ll have to move on.
“It’s one of those lessons about how it sounds great on paper about buying young, but there are big problems that come with young people, as we’re finding out.”
Chelsea to sign another striker
Meanwhile, Football Insider has exclusively revealed (24 June) that Chelsea are definitely expected to sign another forward this summer with Christopher Nkunku set to leave the club.
Nkunku has been linked with Man United in recent days and the Blues are ready to facilitate his exit in a move which would free up space for a new out-and-out striker.
Randal Kolo Muani, currently on loan at Juventus but still under contract at Paris Saint-Germain, has emerged as a concrete target for the Stamford Bridge club.
For more Chelsea and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.