‘Tennis is your calling’ – Chelsea and Pochettino GIVE UPS on Chelsea stars…calls him ‘tennis player’
Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea’s coaching team are reported to be fed up with Mykhailo Mudryk.
Football Insider reports on Wednesday that the Chelsea managerial team are extremely unimpressed by the lack of development by Mudryk this season.
So much so that Pochettino has instructed Todd Boehly to go out and sign a new winger this summer to strength the team.
Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao, who has a €50 million release clause, is regarded as the favoured option – although the latest reports are that he would prefer to stay in La Liga.
As for Mudryk, he has endured a disastrous time at Stamford Bridge over the past 15 months, even being compared to a tennis player by Pochettino for his lack of game understanding.
Mudryk joined Chelsea for €100 million in January 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk after the Blues hijacked Arsenal’s deal for the winger.
However, Mudryk has flopped badly at Stamford Bridge and, having fallen down the pecking order, was even linked with a January transfer away from Chelsea.
Pochettino was asked in February about why Mudryk was not playing much, and his response was less than diplomatic.
“Now he is on the bench. It’s about the form – if you keep your form and you are the best during every training session, [you will play],” Pochettino said.
“It’s about meritocracy. He has amazing quality and potential, but it’s a team game, it’s not tennis.”
Mudryk form at Chelsea
Since joining Chelsea, Mudryk has managed just six goals and four assists in 50 appearances amidst a string of poor performances.
Pochettino has publicly stated on numerous occasions that the player must improve in a number of areas, and his future past this summer must now be in question.
Chelsea are enduring yet another dreadful season. They are ninth in the Premier League, 16 points behind Aston Villa in fifth and with no chance of qualifying for the Champions League.
Last season, the Blues finished 12th in the Premier League.
Their only hope of a trophy this season is by winning the FA Cup, as they are in the semi final where they play Man City.