Mykhailo Mudryk could make an immediate return to the Chelsea squad for tomorrow’s pre-season friendly with Juventus after serving his drugs ban.
The Ukraine winger has spent 20 months on the sidelines after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium. His case was resolved last week and Mudryk jumped on the first available flight to Hong Kong to join Chelsea’s tour of Asia.
Blues boss Xabi Alonso was delighted to see the 25-year-old link up with his team-mates and the former Shakhtar Donetsk man could be thrust straight into tomorrow’s game with the Serie A side at Kai Tak Stadium.
Alonso said: “We are thrilled Misha could be with us. You could see his smile, the great feeling for him to be back. Fitness level, we will see. He has been working hard. Now it’s about trying to do things with his team-mates.”
Asked if he could feature against Juve, Alonso added: “He came directly from the airport to the hotel. Yesterday was more about the feelings and emotions than to assess fitness level. But yes, he could play. Ninety minutes [is] too early. He can be selected, he can play.
“He’s been a long time training on his own. It’s different – he needs to be involved with team-mates. He’s really professional. Now it’s about growing progressively.”
Mudryk has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge with newly promoted Coventry believed to be one of the clubs interested.
Alonso said: “No decision made. We need to assess, he is a special player but it is a special case so we need to be sensitive.”
Midfielder Moises Caicedo also paid tribute to Mudryk’s strength of character.
The Ecuador international said: ”I am happy for him. It is not easy to stop playing. He is really strong, he is a strong man. Everyone is happy to have him back. For sure he is going to come back stronger and he is going to keep doing what he does.”
Why was Mudryk banned?
Mudryk was handed a four-year sanction by an independent regulatory commission after testing positive for a low concentration of the banned substance meldonium in October 2024.
But changes to WADA’s rules mean that if Mudryk’s sample was collected today, the concentration of meldonium in the sample would not have been reported and no anti-doping rule violations (ADVRs) would have resulted.
However, following talks between Mudryk and the Football Association, with the agreement of WADA, the Ukraine international has accepted that he had committed the ADRVs he was charged with and agreed to a period of ineligibility equal to the time already served.
In a statement, the FA confirmed Mudryk was no longer ineligible and can now resume his career.
What has Mudryk said?
Mudryk has not played a competitive match since November 2024 and admits it has been a hugely challenging period in his life.
He said: “After a long battle, the four-year ban that was imposed on me has been rescinded and I am free to resume my career with immediate effect.
“I am grateful that this process has reached a conclusion, that I have been cleared to return to football and that I can now look ahead to my future. This has been the most difficult period of my career.
“As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance. My commitment to competing fairly and representing my club and country with professionalism and integrity has always been important to me.
“I would like to thank my family and friends for their support and belief throughout this period. I also want to express my deep gratitude to everyone at Chelsea FC, my team-mates and the Chelsea supporters who have been with me throughout.
“I would also like to thank my legal team and others who assisted for their tireless work on my case. My focus now is on returning to football, working hard every day, and making a positive contribution on the pitch. Thank you to everyone who continued to believe in me. I look forward to the next chapter of my career.”
Chelsea now focused on reintegrating Mudryk into first-team squad
Mudryk joined Chelsea in January 2023 from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in a deal worth an initial £59million, signing a contract until 2031.
He made 53 appearances for the West London club before being suspended.
His return is a boost for Chelsea, and new boss Alonso in particular.
A Chelsea statement read: “From the outset, this has been an extremely difficult period for Misha, both professionally and personally, and we are pleased that the matter has now reached a conclusion which allows him to return to football with immediate effect.
“We have always supported Misha throughout this process while fully respecting the integrity of the anti-doping system and the legal process.
“We know how much this opportunity to return means to him. Our focus now is on supporting Misha’s reintegration into the squad and helping him resume his career.”
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