Mykhailo Mudryk reportedly accepted a surprisingly low wage package at Chelsea that ranks below several fringe players.
WHAT HAPPENED? While many people believed Chelsea were able to sign Mudryk because of exorbitant spending, The Athletic reports his £97,000-per-week salary at Stamford Bridge is actually close to what Arsenal offered. The wages are notably lower than those of Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£150,000) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (£120,000), not to mention being just a third of what Raheem Sterling earns.
The Blues were eager to stabilise their future wage bill while still adding talent and were able to do so in Mudryk’s case.
WHY DID MUDRYK ACCEPT THOSE TERMS? When Arsenal refused to meet Shakhtar’s full transfer demands, Mudryk had a choice of staying in Ukraine until the summer or joining Chelsea, according to The Athletic’s report. That gave the Blues negotiating leverage, as Mudryk was desperate to move to England as soon as possible. Additionally, the length of the contract (seven-and-a-half years with an option for an additional year) promised long-term financial security for the player regardless of how his spell at Stamford Bridge goes.
AND WHAT’S MORE: Arsenal are disappointed at missing out on Mudryk, but they are not overly concerned about the ramifications and have already turned to other targets.
