Mykhailo Mudryk is yet to score or assist in 2024(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Enzo Maresca reveals brutal Mykhailo Mudryk Chelsea decision has been made after transfer issues

Chelsea news as Enzo Maresca reveals what Mykhailo Mudryk has to do to get back into his plans after slow start to the season

20 Sep 2024, 16:45 by Tom Coley · football.london

Mykhailo Mudryk is doing extra prescribed work on the training field with Chelsea as he aims to get back into the thoughts of manager Enzo Maresca. Having not started any of the last three Premier League matches, the winger has quickly fallen out of favour this season.

Despite being used in a variety of spots during the summer tour of America - including one half where he was deployed as a makeshift right-wing back - Mudryk has been unable to tie down a spot in the side. He also now has increased competition after Chelsea signed Jadon Sancho, Joao Felix, and Pedro Neto, who are all capable of operating from the left.

Mudryk's struggles, which saw him left on the bench for the opening game of the season against Manchester City as well as away to Bournemouth last weekend, are not a new problem for Chelsea. In 2024 he is yet to score or assist for club and country.

The closest he has got to a direct contribution was winning the penalty for Christopher Nkunku in the Conference League play off second leg against Servette last month. Since then he has found any sort of minutes hard to come by.

Even in the 6-2 win against Wolves, Mudryk started the match but saw Chelsea's best attacking play come after the break, once he was replaced by Pedro Neto. With a trip to West Ham next up for Maresca, there is plenty of work still to do.

"Training sessions," he said bluntly when asked how Mudryk will develop when not getting time on the pitch. "Training sessions are the only way to improve players.

"We try to improve all of them every day with some of them doing an extra session at the end. Misha [Mudryk] is one of them. At the moment, he is not playing, but that does not mean he will not play in the future."

Although it is not clear what those sessions entail or which other players are involved, it is a worrying sign for Mudryk. Maresca has already spoken glowingly of Sancho as well as Chelsea's other attackers, even going as far as explaining how he views his forward line options.

"I can hopefully clarify," he started. "As a left winger, we have Jadon and Misha. As a right winger, we have Noni [Madueke] and Pedro. As an attacking midfielder, we have Joao [Felix] and Cole [Palmer]. As a No.9, we have Nicolas [Jackson] and Christo [Nkunku].

"We have two players in each position. Now, Christo can play as a nine, an attacking midfielder or as a winger. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall can play in the pocket and can play wide.

"Pedro was playing as a left winger because Jadon was not here, was not fit, and Misha; between him, Jadon and Pedro, I preferred Pedro for that game. But that doesn't mean I will always prefer Pedro.

"The squad is quite clear in terms of position. All of them have positions and we have two players in each position. Now, because they are versatile, for sure, we can move them. Christo played the first game against City as a winger."

On any given day it could leave Mudryk as fifth choice on the left behind Neto, Sancho, Nkunku, and Felix. Maresca is yet to show any indication that he considers Jackson for that spot yet but even he has been used there previously, especially having only converted from a wideman six months before joining Chelsea.

Mudryk will be offered opportunities to impress in the Conference League group phase and Carabao Cup as well but given the level of competition and standard of his newfound teammates, it may well not be enough. As Maresca explained with Madueke earlier this season, training is the easiest and quickest way to get on the manager's good side.

Join the football.london Chelsea WhatsApp community

Sign up to our Chelsea WhatsApp service and get all the latest breaking news and in-depth stories from football.london's dedicated Chelsea writers direct to your phone.

By signing up to this free service you will be the first to know the news from Stamford Bridge as it happens.

To join our Chelsea community, all you have to do is click this link to join and you're in!