Chelsea’s signing branded a ‘disaster’ – and he was close to joining Arsenal.

One of Chelsea’s costliest signings has been branded a “disaster”—and in an alternate scenario, he might have ended up at Arsenal.

Chelsea beat fierce competition from their London rivals to secure Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023. Despite making only 44 appearances for the Ukrainian club, his performances earned him a £62 million transfer to Stamford Bridge, with an additional £27 million in potential bonuses.

At just 22, Mudryk committed to an extraordinary eight-and-a-half-year contract with Chelsea, but his time in the Premier League already appears to be running out. His debut against Liverpool was promising, drawing praise from Rio Ferdinand, who suggested Arsenal might regret missing out on him.

Arsenal had been confident of signing Mudryk in the summer of 2023, especially after he hinted at his interest in a move through cryptic social media posts. However, Chelsea swooped in at the last moment, striking a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk—reportedly leaving Mudryk devastated over his failed Arsenal dream.

Despite high expectations, Mudryk has struggled at Chelsea, scoring only ten goals across three seasons. He has not played for the club since November due to a provisional suspension after testing positive for a banned substance.

Former Premier League winger Gabriel Agbonlahor has been particularly critical, calling Mudryk a “disaster of a signing” and highlighting him as just one of many expensive flops at Stamford Bridge. Speaking to talkSPORT, Agbonlahor pointed out Chelsea’s spending failures, mentioning underperforming stars like Madueke, Enzo Fernández, and Badiashile.

“There’s a lack of leadership and quality. It’s frightening how much they’ve spent and wasted,” Agbonlahor said.

Chelsea’s struggles have only intensified, as Enzo Maresca’s team has slipped from second to sixth place in the Premier League within two months. The team had a chance to reach the top in mid-December but is now battling just to secure a Champions League spot.

Their latest setback came in consecutive defeats to Brighton, with Maresca admitting the second loss was likely Chelsea’s worst performance under his management.

“This is probably the worst moment since I arrived,” Maresca said. “We had the chance to close the gap on third place, but the performance was disappointing. We are very upset and sorry for the fans. However, we’re still in the race and must finish the season strong.”