Mykhaylo Mudryk’s public flirtation with Arsenal looks a ‘stupid’ decision with the former Shakhtar Donetsk talisman eventually ending up at bitter Premier League rivals Chelsea instead, former Ukraine international Viktor Leonenko tells FanDay.
Imagine professing your undying love for a girl and then marrying her sister.
Mudryk, over the last few months, barely wasted an opportunity to tell anyone who would listen just how smitten he was with an Arsenal side dreaming of their first Premier League title in nearly two decades.
In fact, just days before he put pen to paper on an eight-and-a-half year deal down the road at Stamford Bridge, Mudryk posted a photograph of himself in on Arsenal shirt on his official Instagram account.
Fortunately, the Chelsea supporters do not appear to be holding Mudryk’s Arsenal allegiances against their new £88 million attacker.
Chelsea snatch Ukraine international Mykhaylo Mudryk from under the noses of Arsenal
“Mudryk did a big stupid thing when he publicly kissed Arsenal,” argues Leonenko.
The former Dynamo Kiev ace also highlights the difficulties a 21-year-old with just 12 career goals faces after becoming Chelsea’s new 100 million euro record signing.
“I can only wish him success at Chelsea,” Leonenko adds. “Although I think it will be very difficult for him. Goals and assists will immediately be expected from Mudryk.
“Something else scares me. Mudryk moves to England with the status of a superstar, which he is not yet. This is the worst thing for him. It will be hard. Mudryk came to Chelsea as a superstar. But the World Cup showed that even the top players can end up on the bench. I mean (Cristiano) Ronaldo.
“He has strong points – his speed – but I don’t know if he has character. He needs not to get hung up on his price-tag, but to take effective actions.
“I really want him to succeed at Chelsea so that we can at least be proud of someone. I will root for Mudryk.”
Arsenal close in on Brighton’s Leandro Trossard
Mudryk, who scored 10 goals and provided a further eight assists during an extraordinary first half of the season with Shakhtar Donetsk, could make his Chelsea debut against out-of-sorts Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have responded to missing out on their top target by closing in on a potential bargain £27 million swoop for Brighton forward Leandro Trossard.
“If the manager wants us to, and these signings are good signings (then I’d say yes),” former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan tells talkSPORT, backing Arsenal’s pursuit of the Belgium international.
“If you are going to buy someone in August or July, why wouldn’t they be a good signing in January? When you’ve got a huge opportunity to do something significant?
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