The brewing Mykhailo Mudryk transfer saga could be set for another bend in the road after a possible perfect storm scenario may have presented itself for Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk tonight, with Chelsea boss Graham Potter forced into two early changes at Stamford Bridge after both Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic were forced off injured.
Sterling lasted just five minutes against Manchester City before being removed and replaced by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, while US international Pulisic made it to the 22nd minute only to be subbed off and swapped for summer signing Carney Chukwuemeka.
Chelsea’s current injury list is WILD 😳
Armando Broja
Wesley Fofana
Edouard Mendy
Reece James
N’Golo Kante
Mason Mount
Raheem Sterling
Christian Pulisic pic.twitter.com/EiMaYx1Wq7— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 5, 2023
And the timing could not have been better for Shakhtar who are on the cusp of being involved in a possible bidding war between the Blues and domestic rivals Arsenal for Mudryk’s services during the current transfer window after Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly planned sit-down talks with Srna over the particulars.
Despite completing a deal for AS Monaco’s Benoît Badiashile earlier today and taking their total spending for the 2022-23 season to over £300m since Boehly’s joint arrival in west London along with Clarion Capital, the Blues remain thin on numbers in wide areas under Potter with only Sterling and Pulisic added to by Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech.
Should one or both players be out for any length of time, the Blues may be compelled to act immediately if they have any hope of convincing Mudryk to swap his interest from the Emirates to the Bridge. Certainly, the 21-year-old Ukrainian would be in line for large minutes up front with the Blues if the situation is the worst possible scenario from a fitness standpoint, with few expecting him to work his way into Mikel Arteta’s team ahead of Gabriel Martinelli or Bukayo Saka during the current season.
His possible move to Arsenal is no doubt a move focusing on the long-term picture in north London while offering depth in quality for the Gunners to continue their push both in the Premier League as well as the Europa League, but Mudryk could be in line for immediate impact on the other side of London, which may prove decisive if negotiations remain without a pathway to reconciliation.
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