Frank Lampard has been told why Mykhailo Mudryk has struggled to live up to his price tag at Chelsea. The 22-year-old winger was once heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, only for the Blues to swoop in and hijack the deal.
Talks between the Gunners and Shakhtar Donetsk were thought to have initially progressed well, with Edu tabling a bid in the region of £88million, including add-ons. Arsenal remained in contact with the Ukrainian outfit and there was even confidence at one stage that they were going to welcome Mudryk to the Emirates Stadium.
But, then, Chelsea matched the north London side's bid, which was later revealed to be a better structured offer — just hours later Mudryk was unveiled to fans at Stamford Bridge. The youngster has shown signs of great potential since arriving in the Premier League but he's struggled to assert himself into a disjointed environment, with Frank Lampard having been recently appointed as caretaker boss following Graham Potter's departure.
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Speaking on Premier League Productions, Peter Schmeichel insisted that Chelsea must be patient with Mudryk, claiming that the atmosphere and dressing room debacle is not benefitting the Ukrainian. The former Manchester United said: "It was a lot of money spent and no goals.
"Mudryk was, for me, a big one. I have seen him play for Shakhtar in the Champions League a few times and he has been absolutely outstanding. But, of course, they play in a different style and they play in a different way.
"He is coming in with this price tag," Schmeichel added. "He was sort of nicked from Arsenal, at the last minute, so a lot of external non-football issues around his personality. And now go and score goals, it’s a big, big call.
"The Chelsea dressing room doesn’t work. There isn’t a good atmosphere there. Too many players in there, who have brought in on promises, then they look around and there are 35 of them. Only 11 can play, so why am I not playing."
Following a difficult start to life in west London, Mudryk appears to be making changes which will hopefully help him kick on. The winger is understood to have decided to bring his family over to the capital from Ukraine.
With the knowledge that his family will now be safe in the UK and there to support him, Mudryk can put his mind to rest and prove why he's one of the most exciting young players in the world.
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