Earlier this month, Neymar told his entourage that he wants to leave the Parisians before the transfer window slams shut in September. PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, was informed of the Brazil international’s desire to leave and he was quickly made available on the market.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea were offered the chance to sign Neymar, but the club decided against a move in order to protect their younger players who they’ve already invested a lot of money in. The report states that, contrary to rumours, talks were never concrete, Mauricio Pochettino focused on helping Mykhailo Mudryk realise his potential.

The 22-year-old has failed to score his first goal for Chelsea, but he’s only ever completed 90 minutes in the Premier League once. Starting just seven games and being brought off the bench in nine, Mudryk is yet to be granted the chance to build any momentum.

While the Ukraine international was omitted from the starting lineup against Liverpool on the opening weekend of the new season, he’s expected to play a starring role for the Blues this term under Pochettino. Mudryk will be hoping to undergo a similar transformation to Son Heung-min, who quickly became one of Europe’s most dangerous wingers under the former Tottenham boss.

In an interview with the Daily Mail in 2018, the South Korea international recalled the instructions from Pochettino which took his performances to the next level. Son said: “He has encouraged that (running) in me.

“Football is about scoring and if you want to do that, you have to go forward. That is what he wants me to do. I don’t want to do difficult things, just go straight. When I first joined I was not like this. The gaffer taught me a lot about my movement and off the ball, I have changed a lot.