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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly agreed a deal to bring Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk in on a season-long loan, while center back Tosin Adarabioyo is set to make a permanent switch to the same club.
As part of Xabi Alonso's squad-trimming efforts, Chelsea have agreed to do business with their bitter London rivals for the first time since 2009, when backup goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini was released on a free transfer as a gesture of appreciation for his years of loyal service.
Seventeen years on, that boundary is about to be crossed once more. Spurs had been eyeing Tosin as a potential replacement for unsettled center back Kevin Danso, and reports indicate a fee of $9.5 million (£7 million) has been agreed upon by both clubs.
The Tosin deal needed to be permanent given that Spurs were simultaneously pursuing a loan arrangement for Mudryk. Premier League regulations prevent clubs from having more than one loanee from the same club at any given time, which is why Chelsea have had to find a workaround with their upcoming signing of Honest Ahanor from Atalanta, who will be loaned out to Crystal Palace for the season.
Mudryk is now poised to link up with his former Shakhtar Donetsk boss Roberto De Zerbi at Spurs on a loan deal that, according to Fabrizio Romano, includes both a loan fee and an optional purchase clause valued at $101.6 million (£75 million).
Why Are Chelsea Selling to a Fierce Rival?
Chelsea's ownership group has overseen a series of major changes in the transfer department over the last four years.
On the incoming side, the shift toward prioritizing potential over established talent has been widely noted, but the changes have been equally significant when it comes to player departures.
The notion of refusing to deal with certain clubs has been abandoned, with Chelsea's hierarchy clearly willing to pick up the phone and negotiate the sale of any player if the price is right. The 2023 sale of midfielder Jorginho to Arsenal was quickly followed by a summer that saw Kai Havertz also head to the Emirates, Mason Mount depart for Manchester United, and Mateo Kovačić sold to Manchester City.
Since then, Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga have also made their way to Arsenal and, even this summer, midfielder Andrey Santos was permitted to join Man Utd. If the deal makes financial sense for Chelsea, no transfer is off the table.
The Blues have been looking to reduce their defensive numbers and have been seeking a buyer for Tosin, but it is the loan of Mudryk that carries the greater significance. Now cleared to play following a 20-month ban stemming from a doping investigation, the Ukrainian international must rebuild his match sharpness and reignite his career after falling far short of the expectations placed on him since his arrival from Shakhtar for an initial $75 million in January 2023.
Mudryk's spell in England has been a disappointment so far. The 25-year-old has managed just 10 goals in 73 appearances for Chelsea and has rarely looked at ease at the top level, making the restoration of his confidence and form the primary objective.
It is understood that Mudryk was especially eager to work with De Zerbi again, a manager who once tipped the winger as a future Ballon d'Or contender and has previously referred to Mudryk as "another son." The pair worked together for just 19 matches in 2021 before Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted De Zerbi to step down from his role.
Chelsea will be hoping De Zerbi can unlock the best version of Mudryk, with club officials seemingly unconcerned about the idea of bolstering a rival. The priority lies in the financial return and the opportunity to recoup some value on a player whose market worth has never been lower.