Amongst the plethora of attacking talent spent at Chelsea over recent years under the Clearlake regime, it is Mykhailo Mudryk who has seemed to struggle the most above all.
Mudryk arrived at the club in the winter transfer window in 2023 amidst heavy links that the winger was Arsenal-bound.
One year on and it would not be silly to suggest that the jury is still out on the 23-year-old.
We delve into the factors hindering Mudryk's development and the potential pitfalls that could jeopardise his long-term future at the club.
Change of managers and unrealistic expectations A factor that clearly has not helped and one that the club have only been ridiculed for over the years is the clear lack of stability in regards to the managerial situation.
The norm still remains at the West London club for the manager to be sacked or as most recent case with Mauricio Pochettino, in a mutual termination.
A factor that has undoubtedly stalled Mudryk's development. As an attacker who thrives on the manager's love and trust, the lack of cohesion and stability makes progress increasingly difficult.
Regular changes of manager means more uncertainty for any player at the club, let alone Mudryk. The Ukrainian has already played under three managers since arriving at the club just over 12 months.
It wouldn't be far-fetched to suggest that there has been a clear overestimation of the immediate impact Mudryk would have.
Buying young talent is all well & good but the development pathway you give them is even more important (what Brighton excel at). Madueke & Mudryk cameos encapsulated that for me. Raw, immature and there has been little development in their games. Poor running of a football club.
- Raj Chohan (@rajsinghchohan) February 25, 2024
A winger who without doubt, showed exciting glimpses at Shakhtar, however only recorded 29 appearances.
An obvious lack of experience does and should not equate to the expectation that Mudryk had - to arrive into the Premier League and instantly perform to the levels of a typical top level winger.
Significant room for improvement to be made Whilst there have been unprecedented circumstances gone against the way 'Misha' and the club would have liked, it is not just a matter of the attacker needing stability to thrive.
Anyone who has watched Mudryk, even for just a few minutes, will notice the lack of fundamentals displayed by such a raw player, both on and off the ball.
Whilst Mudryk possesses the blistering pace and unpredictability, he has massively shown to lack positional awareness, 1v1 ability and half a clinical touch in front of goal.
The Ukrainian will most likely go up a clear level in regards to his tactical understanding and discipline on the ball under Enzo Maresca, but there are clear habits that need to be coached out of his game.
Confidence is a big part too, of course. We have all seen what could be labelled as a 'rejuvenation' of Kai Havertz at Arsenal.
A player who struggled and looked out of his depth at Chelsea for multiple years before joining Arsenal - a club that do not lack stability, along with a manager who has invested an abundance of trust and opportunities into the German.
Havertz has been much more refined and polished since. This only indicates that whilst Mudryk has failed to live up to the price tag and expectation, there is still plenty of time for the PS62 million pound man and the coaching staff at Chelsea to collectively turn it around.
Expectations ahead of next season Whilst the futures of many Blues remain uncertain ahead of the 2024/25 season, the chances of Mudryk departing the club on loan remain unlikely.
It will be fascinating to witness how Enzo Maresca, a manager who has shown to improve several players at Leicester City, looks to deploy Mudryk in a system that prioritises relentless possession.
Seven goal contributions in 31 league matches last season - a target of near 20 goals and assists next season and the future will start to look bright again for a player brimming with ridiculous amounts of potential.