Mudryk in Chelsea first... then hints at Arsenal admiration

Robin Bairner

• 11 Mar 2023 21:42 GMT
• 3 min read

Mykhailo Mudryk has found the adaption process difficult since signing for Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January but is off and running as a Blues player.

The Ukraine international seemed to struggle with the expectation of his €70 million transfer, which came as the Stamford Bridge side swept in to beat Arsenal to a deal. His first six games for Chelsea saw him fail to register either a goal or an assist, while he was ominously left as an unused substitute in recent wins over Leeds and Borussia Dortmund.

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Mudryk, though, has finally produced a goal contribution for his new side, setting up Mateo Kovacic’s late strike that sealed a 3-1 win over Leicester.

After the match, Mudryk took to Instagram to celebrate his personal success and also that of the club. On his stories he posted: “Trust the process. Never rush. Be patient. And He will do everything.”

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Arsenal, Arteta and ‘trust the process’

It was the first line of his message that was most eye-catching as he repeated a phrase that has been a mantra of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for years. Throughout his time at the Emirates Stadium, which has been riven with ups and downs, the Spaniard has often pleaded with fans to “trust the process”.

Although it is a phrase that Arteta has drawn from American sports, in football terms, it has become synonymous with Chelsea’s most bitter rivals.

What is most interesting about Mudryk’s use of the phrase, though, is that he persistently hinted at his desire to move to Arsenal in the weeks leading up to his January transfer. He would often drop not-so-subtle hints about joining the Gunners and liked posts of fans imploring him to make the move.

It was only when Arsenal pulled out of the race as they baulked at Shakhtar’s asking price did these messages stop coming.

Mudryk’s use of ‘trust the process’, then, is at best naïve and at worst hints that he would rather be at Arsenal.