Tottenham have signed Mykhailo Mudryk on loan until the end of the season, with a £75million option to buy next summer. It is a bold move for a winger who has not played a competitive game since November 2024, but Tottenham clearly think the upside is still there.
Mudryk's long layoff
The layoff is the first thing that jumps out. Mudryk did get 90 minutes in a friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong, but that does not change the bigger point: his last competitive outing came in November 2024.
He made 73 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, with 10 goals and 11 assists. That is a mixed return for a player who arrived from Shakhtar in January 2023 for up to £89m, but it is also enough to explain why Tottenham are willing to back a reset rather than write him off.
De Zerbi's view of the move
Roberto De Zerbi knows Mudryk from earlier in his career, and he was strongly supportive of the move. "Having worked with Misha earlier in his career, I know exactly what he can bring to our team," he said through standard.co.uk.
De Zerbi added: "I will demand a lot from Misha and it is our job to help him find the best version of himself. If we do that then he can become a very important player for us. I am very happy he chose to come here, and I cannot wait to work with him again."
That is the real angle here. Tottenham are not buying certainty, they are buying a player who needs rhythm again, and they have structured the deal so the risk stays limited unless the second half of the season goes well.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
