New Chelsea signing Mykhaylo Mudryk has burst onto the scene, with a collection of rookie cards that are starting to pick up steam as he begins to adapt to life in the Premier League. 

Mykhaylo Mudryk promises pace and trickery that hasn’t been seen at Chelsea since the days of Eden Hazard. After gazumping Arsenal at the last minute for his signature in a £62 million deal that made him the most expensive Ukrainian footballer of all time, the player has had a lot of expectation placed on his shoulders.

He made his name after strong performances in the Champions League for Shakhtar Donetsk during his debut season in 2021/22. We’ve taken a look at five of his best rookie options overall.  

The Best Mykhaylo Mudryk Rookie Cards

Mudryk made his debut midway through the 2021/22 season for Shakhtar Donetsk, and the majority of his RCs were released the year after. Here’s a roundup with five top options.

5. 2022-23 Topps Jude Bellingham Platinum Curated Set Mykhaylo Mudryk RC (eBay)

2022-23 Topps Jude Bellingham Platinum Curated UEFA Club Competitions Soccer is where we begin. A set focusing on England and Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, Mudryk is included in the Future subset. One of 10 players to make the cut, it’s his sole appearance within the collection. That has helped to boost values, especially if you’re looking at one of the numbered parallel copies. (Check out the Blue version limited to 49 in the image above.)

• Parallels: Black #/99, Blue #/49, Purple #/25, Red #/10, Orange #/5, Gold 1/1

Check prices of 22022-23 Topps Jude Bellingham Platinum Curated Set Mykhaylo Mudryk RC on eBay

4. 2022-23 Topps Project 22 Mykhaylo Mudryk RC #100 (eBay)

2022-23 Topps Project22 UEFA is the next set to make the list.

Looking at the Week 20 run of Project22, Mykhaylo Mudryk by designer Bo Feng-Lin is his first entry in the illustrated collection. (Mudryk has also been included for a second time in Week 26.) A print to order product, this card only has 888 copies, alongside a few numbered parallels. Interestingly, you can’t see his neck tattoo, and he’s in the orange and black of Shakhtar. 

Parallels: #/22, #/10, 1/1 (Artist Signed Artist Proof 1/1)

Check prices of 2022-23 Topps Project 22 Mykhaylo Mudryk RC on eBay

3. 2022-23 Topps Deco Mykhaylo Mudryk RC  (eBay)

2022/23 Topps Deco is next up, as one of the latest boxes to feature the best players in Europe. This time it has an art deco style, which is how the set earns its name. Mudryk doesn’t have an auto in the collection, but his card from the Prodigy subset has quickly become one of the more valuable options, especially if you’re looking at any of the numbered parallels. 

• Parallels: Green #/99, Blue #/49, Purple #/25, Red #/10, Pink #/5, Gold 1/1

Check prices for 2022-23 Topps Deco UEFA Mykhaylo Mudryk RC on eBay

2. 2022-23 Topps Total Football Mykhailo Mudryk RC #EXC16 (eBay)

Given away as part of the Topps Total Football mobile card collecting game, this Mudryk RC has to be packed in-game, before it can be printed in real life. The set includes parallels, such as the /99 version seen in the image above. It’s one of a few Mudryk cards available via Total Football, and the method of distribution makes it one of the rarer cards to make the list. 

Check prices of 2022-23 Topps Total Football Mykhaylo Mudryk RC on eBay

1. 2022-23 Topps Now UCL Mykhaylo Mudryk RC #11 (eBay)

The 11th card released as part of the print-to-order 2022-23 Topps Now UEFA Champions League set, this has to be seen as the best Mykhaylo Mudryk RC in terms of values. It’s his first ever licensed card, and there were only 3,212 produced by Topps. There are a trio of parallels that are even more expensive, such as the Black version which can be seen in the image above. A true RC with a limited print run, this would be our top pick overall.  

• Parallels: Purple #/99, Black #/10, Gold 1/1

Check prices of 2022-23 Topps Now UCL Mykhaylo Mudryk RC on eBay

Why are Mykhaylo Mudryk RCs so expensive?

Why are Mykhaylo Mudryk rookie cards so expensive? He made less than 30 appearances for Shakhtar, and many fans won’t have heard of him before the season started. Well, there are comparisons with none other than Kylian Mbappe in terms of speed, while teammates say he dribbles like Ronaldinho. He has just joined the Premier League, and the fee is astounding considering he’s only 22. He has the potential to be one of the best in the world, and that’s reflected in the asking price for any Mudryk cards that happen to have an RC logo attached. That includes base options. 

Mykhaylo Mudryk Rookie Cards: Final Thoughts 

Mudryk has what it takes to dominate the lesser teams in the league, and offers an attacking threat to a Chelsea team that was sorely lacking beforehand. Personally, I’d give him until next year to acclimate to life in England, as well as to get used to the quality of the average Premier League defender. 

Regardless, as of now, he’s one of the hottest properties within the hobby. As a Chelsea fan, I was always going to grab a few cards for my PC. If all goes well, they could be worth more by the time his contract expires in June 2031.