Mykhailo Mudryk insists he is over his Chelsea 'learning period' and is ready to prove his doubters wrong this season

FOR a modern-day professional footballer, standing at 5ft9, Mykhailo Mudryk is strikingly small in stature and physique.

His demeanour rarely exudes a self-confidence or a sporting arrogance one would expect from someone who cost Chelsea£88m six months ago.

His face is boyish and unblemished. His voice is soft and thoughtful.

And to top it all off, his first interaction with the English media – in the bowels of Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field Stadium – lasted around 90 seconds.

Yet within that brief exchange are the most delicate of signs that this 22-year-old is no shrinking violet. He is assured, blunt and punchy, combined with an admirable calmness.

You cannot help but be impressed, not only because of the dreadful situation in his native Ukraine, but because many people appear to have written him off already.

Arsenal were his preferred club of choice, but Mudryk ended up at Stamford Bridge in a January switch that promised a lot, yet has failed to instantly deliver.

His debut away at Liverpool on January 21 showcased his exceptional speed and trickery, just without a crucial finishing touch.

Mudryk ended the season with 17 appearances, one assist and zero goals.

Another mega-money flop financed by Chelsea? Not if Mudryk has anything to say about it.

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Like any foreign import, Mudryk has spent a lot of his time in the gym since arriving in England, preparing himself for the physicality that awaits him next season. He is certainly not the finished article.

But when asked about the expectations that follow him around, he said: “People always expect so much from someone but it is his problem because he is expecting.

“It is not all my potential. It is only 20 per cent.”

A bold claim, one that should excite Chelsea supporters for the upcoming campaign given he has merely shown glimpses at best of what he can really do in the Premier League.

Illness and fatigue could not be helped, factors which kept him on the bench for several games under ex-boss Graham Potter before Frank Lampard took over on an interim basis.

By then, it was too late to save Chelsea’s sinking ship of a season.

And yet, with Mauricio Pochettino now steering the ship, you get the sense that Mudryk has a renewed purpose in this Blues squad, and is ready to unleash that onto the Prem next month after notching his first goal in Chelsea colours against Brighton in pre-season.

Watching Mudryk was ex-Shakhtar Donetsk manager Roberto De Zerbi, now with the Seagulls, someone who still has the feel of a proud dad at sports day.

De Zerbi said: “I am very happy for him. He is a great player and has a big, big potential and I always am happy when my former players do well or has something special.”

Poch added: “For Mudryk, it is important to score. Attacking players need to score and they need to get their confidence and trust in themselves.

“We know the area that we need to work, we are going to be focusing, it will take time.

"We need to believe and to trust in the process to arrive to the first Premier League game in the best condition.”

Pochettino has urged Todd Boehly to find him first-team quality in time for the new season, ideally to join them on their tour of the States, such as Brighton's Moises Caicedo.

And yet the answer to many of the Agentine’s problems are set to be found right underneath his nose, firstly through centre back Levi Colwill, and now through Mudryk.

The pressure should no longer solely be on the Ukrainian, who looks determined and focused to show the Premier League the ‘real’ Mudryk this time, not an imposter.

Now, all there is to do is to wait. Asked about his short period at Chelsea so far, Mudryk mumbled: “Learning period.”

When asked to expand on that answer, asking what exactly he has learned, Mudryk simply said: “Patience”.

Mudryk continues to surprise us all, and will most certainly let football do the talking for the foreseeable future.

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