"Same ability as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Mbappe when it comes to ground speed" - William Gallas showers high praise on Chelsea attacker
Chelsea legend William Gallas has compared Mykhaylo Mudryk to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., and Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman believes the Ukrainian winger has the potential to become an elite-level player despite receiving criticism for his performances since moving to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues signed Mudryk from FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the January transfer window for £88.5 million. The Ukraine international did not impress during the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, failing to score in 15 league appearances.
Mudryk's first goal for the club came in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Fulham on Monday night (October 2). While the winger has been lambasted for his lack of attacking output since his arrival at the club, Gallas believes Mudryk has the potential to become a great player.
The Frenchman claimed that Mudryk's speed and acceleration are similar to that of Ronaldo, Neymar, and Mbappe. He said in an interview with the Gambling Zone:
"I think he has all of the attributes to become a top, top player. We can all see that he has the ingredients, we are just waiting to see his real quality. He makes things look really easy. The way that he can accelerate past players, he makes his opponent look slow."
Gallas added:
"One player that was a little bit similar was Cristiano Ronaldo. When Cristiano was younger and first came to the Premier League, he showed that he had all of the technical ability and the pace. He showed incredible skill with his stepovers."
The former Arsenal star further stated:
"Everything he did on the pitch was fast. Mudryk has some similar movements. I think when he can put everything together, it will be very difficult to stop Mudryk. He has the same ability as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Mbappe when it comes to his ground speed and acceleration."
It remains to be seen whether Mudryk can keep finding the back of the net this season for Chelsea.
"The start of something special" - William Gallas reacts to Mykhaylo Mudryk's first goal for Chelsea
Chelsea secured a 2-0 victory against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Monday as Armando Broja and Mudryk got on the scoresheet.
The Ukrainian winger's first goal for the club was rather exquisite. He received Levi Colwill's cross from the left flank and slotted the ball through Bernd Leno's legs. Gallas was ecstatic for Mudryk's strike against their London rivals. He said in the aforementioned interview:
"I hope that the goal will give him the confidence that he has been lacking and will be the start of something special happening for him at Chelsea. Getting your first goal for the club, he will start to feel the confidence and hopefully he can start to show his true self. I’m sure it must have been a very difficult situation for him."
Gallas also touched upon the Ukraine international's difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He attributed his struggles to his massive price tag as well as the political tension in his country.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine also led to massive changes at Chelsea, with former owner Roman Abramovich forced to cede ownership and Todd Boehly taking over the reins.
Gallas added:
"He would have been feeling the pressure after the start that he has had and the expectations that people have on him after he joined the club for such a big fee. We also can’t forget what is happening in his country. He’s had a lot to deal with and is still a young player. It hasn’t been an easy introduction for him at Chelsea."