Former Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk has risked the wrath of Gunners fans and his international team-mate Oleksandr Zinchenko after the Chelsea ace claimed London is 'blue'.
At one stage of the most recent transfer window, it seemed as if Mudryk's move to Arsenal was just a matter of time. Therefore, It came as quite the shock when Mudryk's switch from Shakhtar Donetsk to the Gunners London rivals Chelsea was confirmed.
The Blues forked out a whopping £88million to land the winger's signature and pip Arsenal to the post after Mikel Arteta's men failed to reach an agreement for the 22-year-old. The Gunners shifted their attention to back-up option Leandro Trossard, who has proved a hit so far.
The same cannot be said for Mudryk, who is currently sitting on just one assist from seven appearances in a Chelsea shirt. Blues boss Graham Potter has struggled to hand the young winger regular minutes since his arrival, which has led to suggestions from some that Arsenal may have dodged a bullet.
While Mudryk and Zinchenko are rivals at club level, they are colleagues while away on international duty for Ukraine. The Chelsea ace has explained how his Arsenal counterpart has helped him settle in to the London lifestyle.
"He helped me a lot. I like him so much. We often joke about Arsenal, Chelsea and what colour London is," Mudryk told Sky Sports. "But I like this guy, he is a very funny and very kind guy. We spend time always [together] in a positive way."
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When pressed for comment on what colour London is, Mudryk was quick to reply: "Blue."
The former Shakhtar star will line up alongside Zinchenko on Sunday evening when Ukraine face off with England as they aim to thwart the Three Lions' momentum after Gareth Southgate's men toppled Italy 2-1 in Naples.
Ahead of the tie, Mudryk also discussed what life has been like trying to make an impression at Chelsea while Russia's invasion of his home country continues and praised the support of the British public.
"My parents are still there in Ukraine. Everyday I call them and ask about everything, what the situation is now, how they are and everything about what is now the situation in our country," he explained.
"Their [British public] reaction, for me, is good because some people ask me about the situation in Ukraine. Some people are worrying about the situation. I am grateful to these people who help Ukraine because it means a lot."
