€100m to play tennis! Pochettino brutally MOCKS Mudryk

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 4 Feb 2024 13:51 GMT
• 3 min read

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has brutally put down transfer flop Mykhailo Mudryk, remarking that the Ukrainian must understand that football is a team game and “not tennis”.

Mudryk joined Chelsea for €100 million in January 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk after the Blues hijacked Arsenal's deal for the winger.

However, Mudryk has flopped badly at Stamford Bridge.

Mudryk currently is struggling for game time, and was even linked with a January transfer away from Chelsea.

Pochettino was asked about why Mudryk was not playing much, and his response was less than diplomatic.

What did Pochettino say?

"Now he is on the bench. It’s about the form – if you keep your form and you are the best during every training session, [you will play],” Pochettino said.

"It's about meritocracy. He has amazing quality and potential, but it’s a team game, it’s not tennis.”

Mudryk form at Chelsea

Since joining Chelsea, Mudryk has managed just four goals and three assists in 41 appearances amidst a string of poor performances.

Mudryk’s poor form resulted in him dropping down the attacking pecking order, with manager Pochettino publicly stating on numerous occasions that the player still must improve in a number of areas.

Chelsea are enduring yet another dreadful season. They are tenth in the Premier League, 15 points behind Aston Villa in fourth and with little chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

Last season, the Blues finished 12th in the Premier League.

All this has come since Todd Boehly bought the club and spent over €1 billion in the last 18 months on new players.

Chelsea are out of Europe so their only hope of success is in the League Cup and FA Cup.

They do have a good chance in the League Cup, though, as they are in the final where they will play Liverpool.

On Sunday, Chelsea play Wolves in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.