Tottenham hold a £75million option to sign Mudryk permanently, yet he has barely played for them, with his longest appearance lasting just 16 minutes. His comeback could come after the international break.
Garnacho, though fit, has faced the same lack of playing time since joining Villa on loan from Chelsea. The deal includes an obligation to buy next summer, which triggers if he reaches a set number of appearances. He has played just seven times so far and was left out of the squad for the trip to Manchester United, the third time in four league games.
Speaking to Football Insider, King was blunt about Mudryk’s prospects of returning to form. He said he couldn’t see the winger making any impact, before or after his return. In his view, Chelsea paid an inflated fee that he never understood, and Mudryk has missed more matches through bans for off-field offences than through football itself.
King drew a parallel between the Mudryk and Garnacho situations, saying both are seen as talented and quick, but Mudryk has hardly played in two years. He questioned Tottenham’s decision to take him on, joking that the club’s decision-makers must believe in magic, as if Mudryk could be summoned by rubbing a lamp. King concluded that Mudryk does nothing for him.
Both loans could end the same way, with the pair heading back to Stamford Bridge next summer. A permanent Mudryk move at £75m looks very unlikely, and Garnacho may fear a repeat of Harvey Elliott’s case. Elliott joined Villa on loan from Liverpool with an obligation to buy in 2025, but Unai Emery chose not to use him and gave him only nine appearances all season.
