Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin has revealed Chelsea's enticing project as one of a number of reasons as to why Chelsea were able to successfully hijack Arsenal for the transfer of Mykhailo Mudryk. In the biggest story of the January window so far, Chelsea were able to agree terms with Shakhtar for Mudryk after the player seemed destined to join the current Premier League leaders.
The Gunners sent three bids to the Ukrainian club but saw all three rebuffed with Chelsea then arriving on the scene and paying Shakhtar's demands, with favourable and achievable payment instalments and add-ons. Such was the speed of the deal, the 22-year-old was confirmed as a Chelsea player during their match against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and then unveiled to fans at half time.
Palkin has now explained many of the unclear details surrounding how the day of Saturday, January 14 developed as, despite arriving at Shakhtar's training camp in Antalya in Turkey, Chelsea appeared from nowhere. Speaking exclusively to Adam Crafton of The Athletic, he said: "I realised two days ago (Saturday) when Chelsea arrived here - the co-owner Behdad Eghbali and (director of global talent and transfers) Paul Winstanley.
