Leeds prepare fresh approach for Mykhaylo Mudryk as forward options reshaped

# Mudryk now Leeds United enter the final days of the transfer window still searching for an extra attacking option. Manager Daniel Farke wants to add width and creativity to his frontline and Mykhaylo Mudryk is a name Leeds are prepared to pursue again.

Leeds already recruited several players this summer — James Trafford, Michael Zetterer, Tarik Muharemovic, Nico Elvedi and Harry Wilson — but the club still sees value in bringing in an attacker before the Tuesday 11pm deadline.

# What's happened with Mudryk Mudryk joined Chelsea in January 2023 for a fee reported here as £62m plus add-ons. His time at Chelsea has been mixed: across all competitions he has 10 goals in 73 appearances. He faced a suspension related to alleged doping offences dating back to December 2024, but those changes were dropped, clearing him to resume his career.

Despite that, Mudryk has been left out of Chelsea's matchday squads in their opening competitive fixtures this season, including the Carabao Cup tie against Luton, with Morgan Rogers and Jamie Gittens selected ahead of him. Chelsea want any exit for Mudryk to be a loan so he can get guaranteed playing time.

# Why Leeds is not yet a done deal The sticking point has been game time. Leeds cannot promise the kind of guaranteed minutes Chelsea want for Mudryk, because Daniel Farke has a preferred system and several forward options already. Chelsea have therefore been exploring other clubs where Mudryk would be likelier to start regularly.

# Squad implications if Mudryk arrives If Leeds sign Mudryk, it would create pressure on the left-sided positions. Wilfried Gnonto, who has been at Elland Road for four years and remains popular with fans, has dropped down Farke's pecking order due to tactical changes inside the current system. Fiorentina have shown interest in Gnonto, and a Mudryk loan or transfer could hasten his exit.

Leeds' recent selection choices show Farke beginning matches without a traditional left-sided winger, with Noah Okafor used in an inside No.10 role and James Justin deployed as a left wing-back. Mudryk would give Farke a different profile on the left and change selection dynamics for players such as Harry Wilson and Gnonto.

# How realistic is a deal before the deadline? The article indicates Leeds are ready to make a renewed approach and hope a third bid for Mudryk would be successful. Chelsea's priority — guaranteed playing time for Mudryk — and Leeds' existing squad composition are the two main hurdles. Whether Leeds can bridge that gap quickly will decide if this move happens before the window shuts.

# Bottom line Leeds remain active on the Mudryk file and see him as a player who could alter their attacking options. Chelsea want his next move to ensure regular minutes, and Leeds must show how he would fit into their plans to get a deal done. Any signing of Mudryk would likely trigger changes elsewhere in the squad, most immediately increasing the likelihood of Gnonto leaving before the deadline.