Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi tips struggling Chelsea star Mudryk to win Ballon d’Or

Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi has backed Chelsea attacker Mykhailo Mudryk to come good for the club.

The Italian manager tipped the star to win football’s most prestigious individual prize, the Ballon d’Or.

Mudryk joined Chelsea in the January transfer million for £88 million ahead of Arsenal but has struggled to make an impact in London.

The 22-year-old has only one assist in 14 appearances and has yet to open his account for the club.

Despite his struggles in England, De Zerbi has coached him at Shakhtar Donetsk and backed him to become a Premier League star.

Speaking to talkSPORT, De Zerbi said: “Mudryk is a top player, and I think for him, it is difficult to start in another country, in another team.

“Everyone knows the situation of Chelsea this year. It is very difficult, especially for a young player, for a young guy. But, he has the quality to become a star in the Premier League.”

Mudryk played under De Zerbi last season, scoring two goals and assisting nine more.

Before joining Chelsea midway through the season, the Ukraine international already had ten goals and eight assists.

He has struggled to replicate the same form because the Blues are in a bad transition period. They have struggled for cohesion. Many players have joined the club and struggled to perform this season.

Several pundits understand Mudryk’s situation. Ukraine legend and former Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko urged the club to give him time and patience to adapt.

Gus Poyet shared the same thoughts and compared him to former Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard. He said they could have the same impact.

Mudryk has not had consistent starting minutes since joining but will hope he can contribute to help them salvage something from this dire season.

He can look forward to a fresh start under a new manager for next season.