‘He’s got one quality’ - Mykhailo Mudryk a ‘big gamble’ for Tottenham after 20 months out as former Spurs star reacts to Chelsea loan transfer

Mudryk moved to Stamford Bridge for close to £90 million ($122m) in January 2023. He was, after starring in his homeland for Shakhtar Donetsk, considered to be a hot prospect at that time - with Arsenal having also been in the running to secure his signature at one stage.

Adapting to life in the Premier League proved difficult at first, with it taking 24 appearances for his goal account to be opened. He managed just 10 efforts in total for the Blues across 73 outings.

Mudryk’s career was brought to a screeching halt in November 2024 when he was banned for posting an adverse reading for the banned substance, meldonium. He was stung with a four-year suspension by the Football Association, but an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) saw that sentence lifted and he was cleared to play again in July.

Pre-season action was taken in with Chelsea, before completing a deadline day switch to Spurs. The now 25-year-old winger has been reunited with his former Shakhtar boss Roberto De Zerbi - the coach that oversaw his senior breakthrough in 2021-22.

Mudryk is clearly talented, with 28 international caps to his name, but he has not played competitive football in 22 months and never truly got to grips with life in the English top-flight. Quizzed on whether that makes him something of a punt for Tottenham, ex-Spurs and Chelsea midfielder Poyet - speaking courtesy of Gambling.com, the trusted guide for betting sites - told GOAL: “It's a big gamble, yes. It's a big gamble as well because I think he's a very specific player. He's a player that has one quality, which is speed, amazing speed. And if it's not good in his game, then that's it.

“So this one, I go the opposite way with [Enzo] Fernandez. I think this one, it was more the club saying, ‘OK, are we going to use him?’ Wing-back? No chance. If he didn't play for two years, we don't know if he's not going to get injured because normally these players, they get hamstring injuries, big money, we move on.

“So also maybe they were not even counting on him after this kind of reduced sentence. It became big news. Maybe they knew it was happening - I think it was more a club decision, this one, than the Fernandez one. The process, it was coming.”

Mudryk is looking forward to making a fresh start with Spurs, with there an understandable desire on his part to put the last couple of years behind him. He has said: “It’s a great feeling. I can’t wait to start training and playing for the club, and I’m so excited to be reunited with Roberto De Zerbi. He’s my football father. I believe in him. I trust him. I know what he wants from me and with him I always feel I’m improving.”

If anyone can get Mudryk firing again, then it could be De Zerbi. The enigmatic Italian tactician has previously claimed that the jet-heeled Ukrainian forward could be a contender for the most prestigious of individual accolades.

He boldly stated back in 2022: “I think Mudryk can win the Ballon d'Or in the future. I know the value of Mudryk. Mykhailo has the potential for a top career. In my opinion, he can also win the Ballon d’Or. He is a player of the highest level but he is also very sensitive He needs affection. We will see if he matches his potential.”

Mudryk has not come close to scaling those heights so far, but time is still on his side when it comes to unlocking the potential that first brought him to the attention of leading clubs across Europe.

It remains to be seen when a bow for Tottenham will be taken in, with De Zerbi - who has seen his side open the 2026-27 campaign with back-to-back defeats while failing to register a goal - set to take Spurs to the City Ground on Saturday for a meeting with Nottingham Forest.