Chelsea could replace Mykhailo Mudryk by signing a new winger who's been called "one of the best" in his country, with the Ukranian enduring a tough time since making the move to Stamford Bridge last year.
Mudryk not involved as Chelsea enjoy terrific run of form
New head coach Enzo Maresca first arrived at a club under serious pressure to perform, having just sacked former boss Mauricio Pochettino despite a promising end to the 2023/2024 campaign.
Todd Boehly and BlueCo still decided to part company with the Argentine, regardless of Chelsea losing just once in his final 15 Premier League games in charge - an impressive run which helped them qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Maresca was elected to replace Pochettino and tasked to pick up where he left off, but it is safe to say that the former Man City backroom coach has done just that. Chelsea have won four out of his opening six league games in charge, and they've been equally imperious in cup competitions so far.
Chelsea's next Premier League fixtures
Date
Nottingham Forest (home)
October 6
Liverpool (away)
October 20
Newcastle (home)
October 27
Man United (away)
November 3
Arsenal (home)
November 10
One loss to his ex-employers aside, Chelsea's wins over Wolves, Bournemouth, West Ham and Brighton ensure that a feel-good factor is slowly returning to the Bridge after a summer of uncertainty.
Cole Palmer continues to dazzle and make his £40 million price tag look like chump change, while striker Nicolas Jackson is proving his doubters wrong as well after a prolific start to the 2024/2025 season.
Summer signing Jadon Sancho has also become only the third Chelsea player in history to bag an assist in each of his first three games for the club, but certain high-profile squad members like Ben Chilwell and Mudryk have been forced to play more of a bit-part role.
Reports claim Chilwell is likely to quit Chelsea in January after being deemed surplus by Maresca, and it is believed Mudryk may also have no choice but to leave in the winter window too, whether that be on loan or permanently.
The latter joined in a deal worth a potential £89 million, including add-ons, but that price tag hasn't been justified yet. Indeed, Mudryk's played just 80 league minutes this season, with all of his starts coming in the EFL Cup and Conference League.
Chelsea could replace Mudryk with Thiago Fernandez
According to reports out of Spain, Chelsea are eyeing Veliz Sarsfield winger Thiago Fernandez as a possible replacement for Mudryk, and the 20-year-old has been described as one of South America's most exciting talents right now.
Likened to Angel Di Maria, Fernandez is also attracting interest from a host of other Premier League sides in Liverpool, Man United and Tottenham. His contract also expires in December 2025 as well, making him a potentially astute transfer option financially.
Chelsea have displayed a real habit of signing young players with a lot of potential since Clearlake Capital's takeover in 2022, so this could well be one to watch.
wrote football youth scout Thanassis Avastagos on X.
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