According to a recent report by Ukrainian news outlet Sportarena.com, Premier League giants Chelsea are said to be monitoring the progress of Atalanta central-midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi, with a view of possibly signing him in the near future. It has been suggested that former Chelsea star Claude Makelélé is responsible for identifying the Ukrainian playmaker’s talents and that the Blues have already watched him on more than one occasion.
Who is Ruslan Malinovskyi?
Born and raised in Ukraine, the youngster began his footballing career at the Shaktar Donetsk U-17 division. After a few loan spells within the country and stints across the Shaktar’s multiple development squads, he was finally afforded the chance to play for the first-team during the 14/15 Ukrainian League campaign. In the winter of 2016, he was loaned out to Belgian superclub KRC Genk, and a year later, after spending just over ten years at Ukraine’s most famous football club, he was sold on a permanent basis.
Since making the switch across Europe, things have taken a turn for the better as far as the player is concerned. Having successfully guided Genk to the league title in 18/19, he was identified as a potential star by the scouts at Atalanta and signed up.
Since making his switch to Serie A, his sheer quality on the ball has begun to surface. Although his career in Italian football has only lasted seven league fixtures so far, his displays for the national team have earned him a lot of respect from their coach as well – former Chelsea legend Andriy Shevchenko.
What Does Ruslan Malinovsky Bring To The Table?
The Ukrainian has been impressing at the national level as well, having already notched up an impressive 26 caps – a period during which he has scored five goals. He can be described as a playmaker who operates mainly out of the centre of midfield. Able to read play with ease, the 26-year-old boasts the ability to pick out some near-impossible passes. Capable of developing into Chelsea’s next Fabregas, the left-footer has an existing contract with Atalanta that would keep him at the club till the end of the 2023-24 Serie A campaign.
Standing at more than 6ft tall, the Ukrainian has an excellent pass completion rate and has the ideal skill-set to really complement the pacy and energetic Chelsea attackers. For Blues fans, getting a player of his quality might turn out to be massive news, especially considering that despite his incredible technical ability, he does have the strength and physicality to deal with the fast-paced action of the Premier League.
Will Chelsea Benefit From Signing Ruslan Malinovskyi?
The Ukrainian international has a unique set of skills that could work wonders at Stamford Bridge. He offers a great deal of defensive stability while also providing an excellent attacking outlet. More than capable of picking out long, cross-field passes, Malinovskyi has the potential to develop into the next Fabregas – quite possibly a stronger, faster version. Taking everything into account, it has to be concluded that the Blues will do well to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
