Milan Keskin
Marcus Rashford, Mykhaylo Mudryk
© IMAGO
Mykhailo Mudryk will not be playing for Chelsea for the foreseeable future.
The Ukrainian winger has been provisionally suspended by the FA for doping. Although Mudryk strongly denies the use of banned substances, the attacker will be sidelined for a lengthy period of time unless his upcoming B sample proves his innocence.
In the meantime, Chelsea could break the transfer market with the sensational signing of Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who would be an ideal replacement, according to the data.
READ MORE: Mykhailo Mudryk suspended after failed doping test
Mudryk suspects that the banned substance ended up in his system abroad, as the substance in question is not available in the United Kingdom. Chelsea have now launched an internal investigation, in which Mudryk is fully cooperating. The London club, currently second in the Premier League, are said to be fully behind their player.
The London club paid Shakhtar Donetsk a whopping €70 million for Mudryk in January 2023, a sum that could rise to €100 million with bonuses. Despite this astronomical transfer fee, Mudryk has struggled to make his mark at the Blues so far. In 73 appearances, he has managed to score just 10 goals and provide nine assists. His performances therefore fall far short of the sky-high expectations that Chelsea fans had after his arrival.
Mykhailo Mudryk
© IMAGO - Mykhailo Mudryk
Ideal replacement
Given his suspension and lacklustre performances, it is not unthinkable that Chelsea will enter the transfer market for a replacement. In doing so, the club would do well to consider the shock arrival of Rashford. The attacker was one of the absolute stars at Man Utd two seasons ago but has since struggled with a crisis of form.
The club are prepared to part with him partly due to their financial situation. The Red Devils would now reportedly accept a bid of around €48m. Club management is under pressure to sell players in order to comply with the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) of the Premier League.
Additionally, they want to free up financial resources for head coach Ruben Amorim to strengthen his squad. The sale of Rashford, who went through the entire youth academy of the Red Devils, would count as hugely important 'pure profit' for the PSR rules.
Chelsea should capitalise on this. SciSports data shows that Rashford has a 99% similarity to Mudryk’s style of play. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is known for his emphasis on controlled possession, patient build-up play and the use of long passes to create space.
Marcus Rashford
© IMAGO - Marcus Rashford
READ MORE: Nine famous footballers who failed doping tests
Rashford’s strengths – long passes, shifting the play and late crosses – fit well into a system that plays attacking games through controlled patterns. While Mudryk excels at dribbling and carrying the ball, Rashford offers more depth and flexibility in exploiting space with long, precise runs, which is perfect for a team that likes to keep the game wide and switch sides suddenly.
Additionally, unlike Mudryk, Rashford loses possession less often in the opposition half, which suits Maresca’s focus on possession and controlled play under pressure. While he lacks the dribbling ability of Mudryk, Rashford compensates with his positional intelligence and ability to accelerate the attack with well-timed runs and switches of play.
As such, the 27-year-old can be a direct and effective addition to Maresca’s tactical setup, which emphasizes disciplined use of space and quick transitions. After getting dropped by Amorim for the Manchester Derby, a change of scenery may appeal to Rashford.
Whether the boyhood Man Utd fan would be willing to join a rival Premier League side is up for debate, but the recent high-profile business between the two clubs certainly means that a potential deal is not as impossible as it may seem at first glance.
In 2023, lifelong Chelsea fan Mason Mount traded Stamford Bridge for Old Trafford, while Jadon Sancho left Man Utd for the Blues in the summer and he's loving life back in his hometown.
While there is so far nothing to suggest that a move of Rashford could become reality, it is one Chelsea may consider given how Maresca has managed to resurrect Sancho's career.