Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has defended his performances after a difficult start to life at the club, comparing himself to Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr.
The Ukrainian international joined the Blues from Shakhtar Donetsk in January for a club-record fee of £89 million, but has yet to score a goal in his 10 appearances for the club.
However, Mudryk is adamant that he needs time to adapt to English football, and pointed to Vinicius Jr. as an example of a player who struggled in his first season at a new club before going on to become a star.
“My level? Look at Vinicius in his first season at Real Madrid, and look now,” Mudryk said in an interview with Bombardir UA. “Players need time to show their level after moving from one country to another country.”
Vinicius Jr. joined Real Madrid from Flamengo in 2018 for a fee of £40 million, but struggled to make an impact in his first season. He scored just two goals in 33 appearances, and was often criticized by fans and pundits.
However, Vinicius Jr. has since developed into one of the best wingers in the world, scoring 22 goals and providing 20 assists in all competitions last season. He was also a key player in Real Madrid’s Champions League victory.
Mudryk is hoping to follow a similar path, and is confident that he can reach his full potential at Chelsea.
“I know that I have the quality to play at this level,” he said. “I just need to be patient and keep working hard.”
Mudryk will be hoping to get more opportunities to show his quality in the coming season, and he will be determined to prove his doubters wrong.
