ᑕ❶ᑐ Mykhailo Mudryk: Shakhtar Donetsk pledges 22 million euros for Ukraine war after Chelsea transfer
Shakhtar Donetsk president Rinat Akhmetov has promised to donate 22 million euros to the fight in Ukraine after the transfer of Mykhailo Mudryk to Chelsea.
On the side of the Premier League He signed a contract with Mudrik from “Shakhtar”. A transfer record for Ukrainian football with a deal worth 89 million euros on Sunday.
Akhmetov said that the money will help the “Heart of Azovstal” project, which aims to “help the defenders of Mariupol and the families of fallen soldiers.”
Ukraine was occupied by Russia in 2022.
“I want to thank the whole civilized world for helping Ukraine,” Akhmetov said.
“Today, we can talk about Ukrainian football thanks to the great support of the Ukrainian army, Ukrainian people and the whole civilized world. »
Akhmetov said that he had “mixed feelings” about the 22-year-old Mudrik, who left Shakhtar and moved to Chelsea.
“I have never hidden that my dream was to win European cups.
“This means that players like Mudrik should be invited to our club, our Ukrainian league, and we should win European cups with such players.
“Unfortunately, this is not possible now, because Ukraine is waging a terrible and unjust war against us by the Russian Federation. »
The president of “Shakhtar” said that the money obtained from Mudrik’s transfer will be used for medical and prosthetic treatment, psychological support and fulfillment of special requirements to help the defenders of Mariupol and the families of fallen soldiers in the battle.
“Their bravery is unprecedented in modern history,” said Akhmetov.
He also said that “Shakhtar” will play a friendly match with “Chelsea” in “Donbass Arena” in Ukraine.
Potter beat Arsenal to Mudric’s signature
Mudryk, 22, joined the Blues on an eight-and-a-half-year deal but was ready to sign for Premier League rivals Arsenal before completing his move to Stamford Bridge.
Asked about the talks that saw the Blues beat Arsenal to sign him, Potter told BBC Radio 5 live after the Blues’ win on Sunday: “We’re delighted to have him here, I don’t know how it happened.
“As you can imagine, I’m focused on the game but he’s an exciting player – a player of real quality, a young player who will need time to adapt to the Premier League and to us. , but we are happy about it. »
Todd Boehly, who led the American consortium when Chelsea took over last May, recently stepped down as interim sporting director, allowing new technical director Christopher Wivel and global talent and transfers director Paul Winstanley to take the lead. in recruitment.
Mudrik is Chelsea’s fifth signing of the January transfer window, following the permanent signings of Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid, as well as Benoit Badiasile, David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos.
So far this season, Mudrik has scored just 2 goals in 47 appearances for three different clubs in Ukraine, but he has improved his standing in the Champions League this season, scoring three goals in six appearances for Shakhtar.
He could make his Premier League debut for the Blues at Anfield on Saturday against Liverpool, who sit one place above 10th-placed Chelsea.
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