Chelsea have agreed a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk to sign Mykhailo Mudryk.
Chelsea representatives, including director of global talent and transfers Paul Winstanley and a senior board member, travelled to Turkey to hold face-to-face talks with Shakhtar Donetsk, where the Ukrainian club are holding a training camp.
A deal has now been agreed on a fixed fee of €70million (£62m), with a further €30m (£26.5m) in add-ons. Personal terms have also been agreed between Chelsea and the 22-year-old, with a seven-year-plus contract to be signed
Shakhtar’s public position has been that they believe Mudryk to be worth €100m (£88m) and they have now hit that price.
Mudryk was made aware by Shakhtar directly in the past few days of Chelsea’s growing interest in his signature. The feeling around the situation is that both Shakhtar and Mudryk are open to getting the deal done.
The quality of the add-ons offered by any potential suitor and the planned speed of the payments for Mudryk are a priority for the Ukrainian side.
Later on Saturday, Shakhtar confirmed details of the potential transfer and meeting in Turkey.
FC Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov and Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali discussed Mykhailo Mudryk’s transfer to Chelsea FC today.
Parties are very close to agree on player’s transfer to the club.#Shakhtar pic.twitter.com/IoHOaFRfn5
— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) January 14, 2023
Mudryk caught the eye in the Champions League group stages with three goals and two assists in his six matches.
He was a key target Premier League leaders Arsenal, but Chelsea have now swooped to bolster Graham Potter’s struggling side. Potter, whose Chelsea team are 10th in the league with just one win in their last five games, is thought to like Mudryk as a player. He is said to have driven the deal.
As well as his form in the Champions League, Mudryk has also impressed in the Ukrainian Premier League, registering seven goals and six assists as his Shakhtar side sit second in the table.
Additional reporting: Simon Johnson
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(Photo: Getty Images)