Tottenham signs Mykhailo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea in rare cross-London deal

Tottenham Hotspur pulled off a deadline-day swoop for Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk, bringing the Ukrainian international across London on a season-long loan for the 2026-27 campaign. The deal includes an option for a permanent transfer valued at £75 million.

It’s the kind of move that raises eyebrows for several reasons, not least because direct transfers between Chelsea and Tottenham are about as common as solar eclipses. The last one happened in 2009.

A reunion years in the making

The loan reunites Mudryk with Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who managed the winger during his breakout spell at Shakhtar Donetsk. Mudryk reportedly expressed genuine enthusiasm about the chance to work with De Zerbi again.

Chelsea originally signed Mudryk from Shakhtar in January 2023 for an initial fee of around €70 million (roughly £61 million at the time). With add-ons, the total package ballooned to approximately €100 million, or about £85.5 million.

The doping cloud lifts

Mudryk hasn’t played a competitive match since November 2024. The reason: a doping case involving meldonium, the same substance that tripped up tennis star Maria Sharapova back in 2016. The case was finally resolved in July 2026.

He’ll wear the number 27 shirt at Tottenham.

Tottenham’s spending spree continues

Mudryk’s arrival marks Tottenham’s ninth signing of the summer transfer window. The club has invested over £300 million during this period.

The pursuit of Mudryk wasn’t Plan A. Tottenham had been chasing other attacking targets, including Iliman Ndiaye, who ultimately joined Manchester City instead.

The same deadline day also saw Chelsea sell defender Tosin Adarabioyo to Tottenham on a permanent deal. Two players moving from Chelsea to Spurs in a single day, after 17 years of zero direct business between the clubs.

What to watch this season

Mudryk’s Chelsea contract runs through 2031, which means the Blues aren’t under pressure to sell. If Tottenham don’t exercise the £75 million option, Mudryk returns to Chelsea.

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