Mykhailo Mudryk is Chelsea’s latest answer to help solve attacking woes that have plagued the Blues this season.
The 22-year-old winger was unveiled by Chelsea after leaving Shakhtar Donetsk and signing an eight-and-a-half year contract that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2031, the Premier League club announced Sunday.
“I’m so happy to sign for Chelsea,” Mudryk said.
“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.”
The transfer was announced a day after Chelsea agreed to pay Shakhtar Donetsk a transfer fee worth an initial €70 million. The fee could rise to €100 million if various clauses are met, the Ukrainian club confirmed.
It’s understood that a portion of the €30 million in add-ons is contingent on Chelsea winning the Premier League or the Champions League during Mudryk’s stay, reports transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.
“We are delighted to welcome Mykhailo to Chelsea,” said Todd Boehly, Chelsea chairman, and Behdad Eghbali, co-controlling owner. “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 is the second forward to arrive in January following Joao Felix’s loan move from Atletico Madrid last week.
Chelsea currently sit 10th in the Premier League after going winless in their last three Premier League games before Sunday’s tilt against Crystal Palace.
Mudryk had seven goals and six assists in 12 league matches with Shakhtar this season.
Paris Saint-Germain are anticipating talks with Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge, in the French capital before the end of January to conclude an agreement over a new contract for the World Cup winner, ESPN’s Julien Laurens reports.
PSG and Messi’s father reportedly had positive discussions prior to Argentina’s victorious run in Qatar. An agreement in principle was then reached in December for the 35-year-old attacker to extend his terms until 2024. However, Laurens now understands the structure and length of the contract are yet to be determined.
Messi reportedly prefers to stay at the Parc des Princes despite interest from Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami and Thursday’s links with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia. Al Hilal – cross-city rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club Al Nassr – are willing to offer Messi a deal worth $350 million per year to bring him to Riyadh, according to Mundo Deportivo’s Fabio Marchi.
But Messi won’t be joining Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, sources told Laurens, and both the player and PSG remain positive about reaching an agreement.
The artful Argentine returned to club action in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Angers. Messi orchestrated and finished a beautiful team move for Les Parisiens’ second goal of the game.
Wales superstar and five-time Champions League winner Gareth Bale announced Monday that he’s retiring from club and international football.
“After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football,” he announced on Twitter.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have realized my dream of playing the sport I love. It has truly given me some of the best moments of my life. The highest of highs over 17 seasons that will be impossible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me.”
The 33-year-old ends his illustrious career as one of Britain’s most decorated players after spells at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and Los Angeles FC.
At Real Madrid, he was a member of five Champions League-winning teams and played an important role in helping the Spanish giants win La Liga three times, as well as other major trophies.
He’s also Wales’ all-time leading scorer with 41 goals in 111 appearances.
Gareth Bale, Wales’ all-time top scorer, has won more European Cup / Champions League titles than any other British player in football history.
An incredible career comes to an end. ? pic.twitter.com/yZWPdDRvF5
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 9, 2023
Bale was under contract at LAFC until this summer but decided to hang up his boots just over a month after playing for Wales at the 2022 World Cup. It was Wales’ first World Cup appearance since 1958.
“My decision to retire from international football has been by far the hardest of my career,” Bale said in a separate statement, adding, “My journey on the international stage is one that has changed not only my life but who I am.”
After making his professional debut with Southampton at 16, Bale moved to north London, where he developed into a global superstar at Tottenham.
His career continued to blossom after a transfer to Real Madrid in 2013 that was worth a then-record £85.3 million – over £5 million more than the fee Los Blancos paid for Cristiano Ronaldo four years earlier.
Bale lived up to the billing over his first few years in Madrid before his relationship with the club and fans soured.
He was eventually loaned back to Tottenham last season before joining LAFC midway through the 2022 Major League Soccer season. He scored a header in the 128th minute of extra time during the MLS Cup final to send the game to a penalty shootout, which LAFC won to capture the league title.
