Mudryk over the next Mbappe? Chelsea left regretting HUGE transfer blunder

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 2 Sept 2024 10:33 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea’s signing of Mykhailo Mudryk looks costlier with each passing day – but not least because the man they might have signed instead is being hailed as Kylian Mbappe’s heir at PSG with some justification.

Mudryk’s struggles at Chelsea need little introduction, but a quick recap. The Blues beat Arsenal to the winger, once hailed by Roberto De Zerbi as a potential Ballon d’Or winner in January 2023, paying €70 million for the player.

Since arriving at Stamford Bridge, though, he has looked entirely out of his depth. After more than 18 months at the club, he has seven goals and four assists in all competitions and is not prominent in the plans of Enzo Maresca.

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Six months after Mudryk joined Chelsea, the Blues took an interest in another left winger: Bradley Barcola, who was then of Lyon.

In a fight every bit as intense as the one that took the Ukraine international to Stamford Bridge, the Premier League side were pipped to the wideman by PSG.

Barcola had teething issues at Parc des Princes, but since settling, he is starting to look a bargain at €45m.

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Compared

Mykhaylo Mudryk

M (L)

Chelsea

Mykhaylo Mudryk

M (L)

Chelsea

VS

Bradley Barcola

F (CL)

PSG

Bradley Barcola

F (CL)

PSG

2024/2025

Season Statistics

2024/2025

3	Appearances	3
0	Goals	4
1	Shots On Target	5
3	Shots Off Target	5
2	Tackles	4

In particular, he shone in the second half of last season, excelling in the Champions League against Barcelona, and was a player who had a huge impact as France made a run to the semi-finals of Euro 2024.

That momentum has been carried into this campaign.

Barcola set to star for years

Ligue 1 is only three matches old, yet Barcola already has four goals to his credit. This is all the more astonishing given he has played only 154 minutes.

His performances are making both fans and media forget about Mbappe.

Even a poor start against Lille did not deter him. He knuckled down and scored his fourth of the season – equalling his Ligue 1 tally for last season already – with a curling shot that Le Parisien described as being “worth of Thierry Henry”.

His defensive efforts, too, are impressive. At times on Sunday, he dropped deep to help the struggling Lucas Beraldo, who was playing at left-back.

Barcola v Mudryk: Transfer Value over time

Compared

Bradley Barcola

F (CL)

PSG

Bradley Barcola

F (CL)

PSG

VS

Mykhaylo Mudryk

M (L)

Chelsea

Mykhaylo Mudryk

M (L)

Chelsea

Bradley Barcola

Mykhaylo Mudryk

While Mudryk’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has remained relatively stationary since arriving at Chelsea, Barcola’s has leapt up. Both are worth around €40m now, yet there is little doubt in whose career is moving in the right direction.

If Chelsea’s policy of signing young players for big money is to succeed, they need more Barcola and less Mudryk. As Enzo Maresca’s side make a sluggish start to the season, they are paying a heavy price for this decision.