Chelsea to play Shakhtar friendly in Ukraine as part of £89m deal for Mykhaylo Mudryk: Reports

Chelsea and Shakhtar Donetsk will reportedly face each other in a friendly match as part of Mykhaylo Mudryk's £89 million transfer to Stamford Bridge. That is according to a report from GOAL correspondent Nizaar Kinsella who made the revelation in a post on his official Twitter account.

As per the journalist, Shakhtar Donetsk have already confirmed that both sides will lock horns with each other at the Donbass Arena. The proposed friendly match comes as part of an effort to raise funds for charity following Mykhaylo Mudryk's mega move to Chelsea in the January window.

The Blues faced strong competition from rival clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester United, but stepped up their effort in the last few days and got the deal across the line.

Chelsea made a huge statement with that transfer despite contrasting opinions over the player's price tag. The Londoners desperately need to strengthen their squad with a couple of high-profile options following their slow start to the season.

Before returning to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday (15 January), Graham Potter's men went on a four-game winless run in all competitions.

As it stands, they are 10th in the league table with 28 points in 19 games. So far, the west London outfit have recorded eight victories, four draws and seven defeats in the English top flight.

They have also crashed out of both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup after losing to Manchester City in both competitions.

Mudryk, meanwhile, joins the Londoners in spectacular form. The winger bagged 10 goals and eight assists for Shakhtar Donetsk in 18 games this season prior to his switch to Stamford Bridge.

What's next for Chelsea following Mykhaylo Mudryk's signing?

Mykhaylo Mudryk is undoubtedly one of the brightest young forwards in Europe right now

After adding yet another exciting talent to their ranks, Chelsea will look to secure a few more deals to strengthen other areas of their squad before the transfer window shuts. They are believed to be on the lookout for a goalkeeper and a midfielder.

That said, the Blues have a massive game to play this weekend, with Liverpool scheduled to host them at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday (21 January). They will then face Fulham in the English top flight on 3 February before clashing with West Ham United on 11 February.

Potter's side will then return to Champions League football when they face German outfit Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their round of 16 tie on 15 February.