Tottenham's Surprising Move for Mykhailo Mudryk

Tottenham Hotspur are on the brink of one of the most surprising moves of the window, with Mykhailo Mudryk set to swap Chelsea blue for a white shirt in north London on an initial loan.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano told GIVEMESPORT’s Market Madness podcast that the deal is all but done, with Mudryk expected to sign his Spurs contract on Tuesday afternoon. The agreement is a loan with an option to buy set at around £75 million, a huge potential outlay for a player who has not kicked a competitive ball in well over a year.

The 25-year-old winger has been frozen out at Stamford Bridge since December 2024 after a positive doping test led to his suspension. He has not featured for Chelsea in any capacity since then. The case has now been resolved, the charges dropped, and Mudryk cleared to play again — but his Chelsea career is effectively over.

New head coach Enzo Maresca has made it clear there is no place for him in his plans. With Chelsea stacked in wide areas and looking to streamline the squad, Mudryk has been pushed firmly towards the exit.

Tottenham have seized the opening.

Spurs Rip Up Their Left-Wing Plan

For most of the summer, Spurs had a different name pencilled in for that left-sided attacking role. Cody Gakpo was the preferred option, only for Liverpool to shut the door and keep the Dutchman at Anfield.

Attention then swung to Iliman Ndiaye. Tottenham explored a complex chain that could have seen Ndiaye arrive and Richarlison head back to Everton. The idea never left the drawing board. Personal terms between Richarlison and Everton proved a major stumbling block, and the whole structure collapsed.

That is when the Mudryk opportunity exploded into life.

“Yes, Mykhailo Mudryk will be a Tottenham player, he will sign his contract at Tottenham in the next two hours,” Romano said on the podcast, outlining the speed with which the move has developed.

He confirmed the structure: a loan deal, an option to buy at £75 million, Spurs covering the winger’s salary and a loan fee also included in the package. For a club that had spent weeks wrestling with complicated scenarios, this was suddenly the cleanest route to a new winger.

Romano described it as a “big change of plans” after the failed pursuits of Gakpo and Ndiaye, but also “the easiest option” once the Mudryk door opened.

A High-Stakes Gamble

For Tottenham, this is a calculated risk with a potentially huge upside.

They have been searching all summer for a left-sided threat to complement Ange Postecoglou’s attacking structure. New arrival Savinho can operate off the left, but with limited depth on the opposite flank, the Brazilian is expected to spend most of his time on the right.

Mudryk, at his best, offers pure chaos: pace, direct running, and the ability to stretch defences on his own. The question is what version of the Ukrainian they are getting after such a long spell away from competitive football.

His medical was completed on Tuesday morning, clearing the way for an official announcement later on deadline day. Once the paperwork lands, attention will turn quickly to how fast Spurs can get him up to speed.

When Will He Play?

Tottenham travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, and Mudryk could be in the squad for that game. That would be a rapid reintroduction to Premier League life after more than a year on the sidelines.

Realistically, Spurs are expected to ease him back. Match sharpness cannot be faked, and the physical demands of Postecoglou’s system are unforgiving. But even 20 minutes of Mudryk at full sprint, cutting in from the left, would offer a glimpse of why clubs were once prepared to fight so fiercely for his signature.

Chelsea have decided that chapter is closed. Tottenham are betting that it is only just beginning.