Chelsea flop compared to Vinicius Junior amid exit rumours as former coach delivers damning verdict

Ukrainian coach Yuriy Benyo thinks that Mykhailo Mudryk’s time at Chelsea could be coming towards an end as he also compared the 23-year-old to Vinicius Junior.

It’s safe to say that Mudryk’s blockbuster move to Stamford Bridge has not gone to plan so far. The 23-year-old arrived at Chelsea in January 2023 for a fee rising to £89m with add-ons included.

Since joining the Premier League outfit, the Ukrainian star has struggled to justify his lofty price tag, having only scored seven goals in 62 appearances for the club.

Former Shakhtar Donetsk assistant manager Benyo has compared Mudryk and his lack of defensive awareness to Real Madrid’s Vinicius.

“Mudryk is like Vinicius in Real Madrid. He also does not work so hard on defence,” Benyo told Tribuna.

While Mudryk has struggled to showcase his best form at Chelsea, Benyo believes that the ‘constant rotation’ of coaches hasn’t helped him.

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“He is in such a situation that he cannot even leave. There is a constant rotation of coaches.

“Every coach who comes sees his talent and tries to use it, but when it comes to the game, his weak side becomes noticeable – playing without the ball, playing on defence, in pressing.

“If there was a coach who would work at Chelsea for at least two years, and he really wouldn’t count on Mudryk, then it’s better to leave. Every coach gives him a chance. It’s just that he’s at such an age that he needs to play

Chelsea are open to selling Mudryk

It’s safe to say that Chelsea aren’t short of attacking options right now and according to GIVEMESPORT, there is an ‘acceptance’ at the club that the signing was a ‘failure’.

Chelsea are reportedly ‘open’ to offloading the former Shakhtar Donetsk star if his form doesn’t improve in the coming months before the January window opens.

So far this season, the 23-year-old winger has featured in four matches across all competitions, but his place in the starting XI is by no means guaranteed.

He’s only started in one Premier League match under Enzo Maresca and in that game, he was hooked off at half-time following an underwhelming performance.

While his contract at Stamford Bridge is still valid until 2031, Chelsea could be prepared to cut their losses in the near future.

What Maresca has said about Mudryk

The new Chelsea manager certainly isn’t afraid to make changes when things aren’t going to plan. That was the case during Chelsea’s 6-2 win against Wolves as Maresca was quick to substitute Mudryk at half-time.

When discussing why he took the Ukrainian star off after just 45 minutes, Maresca told reporters: “Because I was not happy.

“In some moments we can manage some situations better. He was working hard off the ball but on the ball, I expect a bit more quality from Misha.

“He had some good moments today but the reason why was to change it and give Pedro some minutes.”

Since arriving at Chelsea, Mudryk has only been involved in 12 goals with just seven goals and five assists to his name across all competitions.

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Other Chelsea exits are on the cards

Chelsea forward David Datro Fofana is on the verge of joining Turkish club Goztepe SK after the striker’s move to AEK Athens collapsed on Wednesday.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal will include the option for Goztepe to purchase Fofana on a permanent basis, although Chelsea will have the option to recall him in January if they wish.

The striker spent last season out on loan with Union Berlin and Burnley, scoring six goals in 32 appearances for both clubs combined.

Another player who has been linked with an exit is Carney Chukwuemeka who hasn’t featured whatsoever for Chelsea so far this season.

The 20-year-old midfielder is part of the club’s ‘bomb squad’ that has been exiled from first-team training under Maresca.

While Galatasaray are interested in signing him on a short-term basis before the Turkish transfer window ends, Chelsea are only interested in a permanent sale and don’t want to loan him out.

This could leave the midfielder in an awkward position, especially if a suitable buyer isn’t found before the Turkish transfer window closes on Friday.