Football

De Zerbi backs Chelsea’s Mudryk to star in Premier League

April 12, 2023 1:50 pm

Mudryk

Chelsea’s transfer spending under new management saw them snatch Mykhailo Mudryk right under the noses of Arsenal. The Ukraininian signed an eight-year contract with the Blues but early signs from him have been poor to say the least.

Mudryk has failed to hit the back of the net so far and has only helped their cause with one assist. The young attacker has been guilty of missing glaring opportunities, chances that could have swayed games in their favour.

Brighton manager, Roberto De Zerbi is well-versed with the 22-year-old’s playing style. It was the Italian who oversaw his meteoric rise for Shakhtar Donetsk and still has full faith in his abilities.

De Zerbi believes there is more to come from the mega-millions recruit, who is taking his time in adjusting to the rigours of the Premier League. The Brighton manager also alluded to Chelsea’s off-the-pitch issues and commented that it has not helped the players in delivering on the pitch.

“Mudryk is a top player and I think for him, it’s difficult to start in another country, in another team.

“Everyone knows the situation of Chelsea this year, it’s very difficult especially for a young player, for a young guy.

“But, he has the quality to become a star in the Premier League.”

Kante integral for Chelsea’s success

Thomas Tuchel hailed N’Golo Kante the Blues’ main man. He was fortunate to have the French midfielder at his best in their semi-final win over Real Madrid and final success against Manchester City. Kante was the man of the match on all three occasions.

Graham Potter did not have the chance to see Kante deliver one of his telling performances. Frank Lampard replaced the former Brighton manager and had the 32-year-old at his disposal from the get ho.

The Chelsea legend hailed his high-intensity playing style that never drops below the accepted standards at Stamford Bridge. However, Lampard admitted that Kante has not played for a long time and needs to be carefully brought back in the squad.

“N’Golo is a special player,” said Lampard. “In terms of coming back and playing at a really high level, I have witnessed him do it. He did it for me in the Super Cup against Liverpool a few years ago. He passed a fitness test, hadn’t trained in a long time and was the best player on the pitch for 120 minutes.

“I think he has the capacity to do it because he’s a special player. Hopefully, he can do that because he’s that high-level a player and when we miss him as a club, we miss him because of how good he is.”

Gallardo enters the fray

Lampard does not have the Chelsea job on a permanent basis. As it stands, the Blues hierarchy are deciding on the way forward. Julien Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique are favourites to land the job in the summer. Zinedine Zidane has also been linked with the job the last week.

South American candidates, Mauricio Pochettino and Marcelo Gallardo are also in the mix. Given his familiarity with the Premier League, Pochettino can get started without skipping a beat. Former River Plate manager, Gallardo is known for his tactical nous and will also be a handy addition.

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