OFFICIAL: Mykhailo Mudryk has finalised his move from Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea after agreeing personal terms with the club.
The Ukrainian international, who turned 22 earlier this month, has put pen to paper on an eight-and-a-half year contract with the Blues to seal his move to Stamford Bridge.
‘I’m so happy to sign for Chelsea,’ Mudryk said after completing his move.
‘This is a huge club, in a fantastic league and it is a very attractive project for me at this stage of my career. I’m excited to meet my new team-mates and I’m looking forward to working and learning under Graham Potter and his staff.’
A skillful player with plenty of pace, Mudryk has quickly built a reputation as one of the most dangerous attacking players in Europe in one-v-one situations. Primarily a wide player, he has featured on both wings for Shakhtar Donetsk, but many of his best performances came when cutting in from the left onto his preferred right foot.
The threat he causes in the final third is underlined by his 18 goal involvements in as many games in all competitions this season, including three goals and two assists in the Champions League group stage.
Todd Boehly, Chelsea chairman, and Behdad Eghbali, co-controlling owner, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Mykhailo to Chelsea. He’s a hugely exciting talent who we believe will be a terrific addition to our squad both now and in the years to come. He will add further depth to our attack and we know he’ll get a very warm welcome to London.'
Mudryk joined the Shakhtar Donetsk academy in 2016 and, after a handful of senior appearances and loans to fellow Ukrainian Premier Liga sides Arsenal Kyiv and Desna Chernigiv, made his first-team breakthrough over the course of the 2021/22 season, with two goals and seven assists in 11 league games.
His club form earned Mudryk a place in the senior Ukraine squad last year, receiving eight caps since making his international debut in their win over Scotland in the FIFA World Cup qualifying play-offs in June.
Chelsea would like to thank Shakhtar Donetsk for enabling Mykhailo to take up this new opportunity.
The west London club beat Arsenal at the 11th hour to the transfer, with their deal preferable to the Ukrainian club both in terms of the outlay and the way it was structured.
Having led the race for months - with the player making little secret of his desire to join Arsenal on social media - the Premier League leaders were beaten to his signature by Chelsea.
As Arsenal continued to negotiate over the structure of their offer for the Ukraine winger, a Chelsea delegation, including co-owner Behdad Eghbali and director of global talent Paul Winstanley, flew to Belek in Turkey, where Shakhtar are based, to tip the deal in their favour.
Premier League leaders Arsenal had made their third proposal of £62m plus £20m in potential add-ons on Thursday and had maintained dialogue since over the structure of the fee. Yet Chelsea countered on Friday with £62m and a further £26m in add-ons.
Mudryk becomes Chelsea's fifth signing this January, joining David Datro Fofana, Joao Felix, Benoit Badiashile and Andrey Santos through the door.
He was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates over the summer, and in September, it was reported that Mudryk was interested in moving to Arsenal. After a Champions League match for the Ukrainian club, Mudryk said: 'I think every guy dreams about the Premier League.'
His arrival comes as Graham Potter looks to arrest Chelsea's sharp decline in form and results. They are on a run of three consecutive defeats, sitting some 10 points outside of the top four places and a further 19 off the summit.
Mudryk made clear his own interest in Arsenal, including wearing a Gunners shirt on his Instagram story.
He previously called the 40-year-old Arteta a 'top coach' on New Year's Eve when he was in the opposing dug-out to Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi, who used to take charge of Shakhtar.
Before that Premier League clash, De Zerbi called Mudryk 'a future Ballon d'Or winner' if he was confirmed as an Arsenal player.
As it is, Mudryk will line up for Chelsea for the second part of the season having jetted into London to complete the deal.
Mudryk was born in Krashnohrad, Ukraine, on January 5, 2001, and he was part of the youth set-up at Shakhtar Donetsk from 2016, making his first senior appearance for the club two years later.
The 5ft 9in winger also had previous short-term loan spells at Arsenal Kyiv and Desna Chernihiv in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
He was named Shakhtar's player of the year twice in a row in 2021 and 2022.
The winger has made 8 appearances for the Ukraine national side so far, since earning his first cap in May 2022.