De Zerbi's Bold Ballon d'Or Prediction for Mudryk at Spurs
Roberto De Zerbi is not backing away. Not from the prediction that raised eyebrows across Europe, and certainly not from the player at the centre of it.
Mudryk, now a Tottenham player on loan from Chelsea, is once again under De Zerbi’s command. The Italian still believes the Ukrainian winger has the potential to reach the very top – Ballon d'Or level – despite a turbulent spell in England that has tested that belief more than once.
From Shakhtar promise to Premier League struggle
The relationship was forged at Shakhtar Donetsk. There, before the war disrupted everything, Mudryk exploded onto the European radar under De Zerbi’s watch, his pace and fearlessness marking him out as one of the most exciting young wide players around.
De Zerbi made his Ballon d'Or prediction during his time at Brighton, just as Mudryk was on the brink of a blockbuster move to Chelsea. It sounded bold then. It sounds even bolder now, after a difficult 18 months.
Chelsea invested around €100m to bring him to Stamford Bridge in January 2023. The return has been underwhelming. Inconsistency, a lack of end product and, more recently, a suspension that kept him away from elite football for a prolonged spell have all stalled his rise.
De Zerbi, though, refuses to rewrite history or soften his stance.
“We spent a very particular season together in Shakhtar,” he said, speaking to ESPN. “When the war started, we were together. And when I spoke about the Ballon d'Or, I was very clear. Maybe my English is not so good, but I was very clear because I was speaking about the potential of the player. The potential of the player can be the same and can respect the prediction or not.”
A second chance in north London
Mudryk’s deadline-day switch to Spurs is a reset button. The deal is a season-long loan from Chelsea, but there is a hard edge to it: Tottenham hold an option to buy for £75 million next summer if he finally delivers on the promise that once made him a €100m signing.
De Zerbi is under no illusions about the scale of the task.
“Until now, he has had many problems,” he admitted. “The last problem, the suspension for whatever was the problem, but the [outcome] is clear. And now his challenge is to respect all his qualities because he's a great player.”
This is the crux of it for Tottenham and for Mudryk. The talent has never really been in question. The application, the rhythm, the confidence – those are the pieces that need to be put back together.
“He has to leave this season in a right way, not too [much] pressure,” De Zerbi continued. “But it is the right moment for him to show [his ability] because if Chelsea paid €100m four years ago. I think they brought a lot of big, big players and to spend €100m, I think they thought very well about the qualities of Mudryk.”
The message is clear: the price tag was not an accident. Somewhere inside the player Tottenham have just taken a gamble on, De Zerbi still sees the same explosive winger he once built a team around.
Spurs fans set for first glimpse
The immediate target is modest: get him back on the pitch, get him fit, and get him feeling like a footballer again.
After a lengthy spell without regular minutes, De Zerbi is cautious. He does not yet know when Mudryk will be ready to start a Premier League match. Match sharpness cannot be rushed, especially for a player trying to escape the weight of a stalled career.
Even so, Spurs supporters will not have to wait long to see him in their colours. De Zerbi confirmed that Mudryk is ready for a cameo – between 15 and 30 minutes – in Saturday’s clash with Nottingham Forest.
It is a small window, but a significant one. A first touch, a first sprint, maybe a first defender beaten in a Spurs shirt. For a player trying to rebuild his identity, those moments matter.
If Mudryk rediscovers the form that once lit up Shakhtar under this very coach, Tottenham’s £75m option will stop looking like a risk and start to feel like an opportunity.
For now, though, the Ballon d'Or talk is parked in the distance. The real battle begins with half an hour off the bench and a simple question: can he finally turn raw potential into a career worthy of the price – and the prediction?
