Mykhailo Mudryk can return for Chelsea after doping ban lifted

Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to competitive football with Chelsea after the Football Association confirmed his doping ban was lifted on Friday. The Ukrainian winger, who has been absent from the pitch for nearly two years, is now eligible to rejoin the squad, though manager Xabi Alonso acknowledged the process of reintegrating him will take time.

Roberto de Zerbi, the Tottenham Hotspur manager and former coach of Mudryk at Shakhtar Donetsk, expressed admiration for the 25-year-old, calling him “a cool guy, a top player” and hoping he could “show what he suffered the last two seasons in this coming season.” De Zerbi, who spoke to Mudryk during his suspension, highlighted the emotional weight of the situation, noting that he left Shakhtar Donetsk in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine. “It was an amazing team, amazing group, maybe the best level of football I've done,” he said, emphasizing his respect for Mudryk’s resilience.

Alonso, who took charge of Chelsea in the summer, shared similar sentiments, describing Mudryk’s return as a “great news” but stressing that the player would need time to regain match fitness. “We want that he feels part of a team, because he has been training on his own for a long time,” Alonso said. “It will take time.” The manager also praised Mudryk’s past impact, recalling his “one-v-one situations” and ability to create opportunities. Mudryk, who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar in 2023 for a reported £60m, has made 73 appearances for the Blues but has not played since November 2024 after testing positive for meldonium, a banned substance. He consistently denied knowingly using the drug, claiming it entered his system inadvertently.

Mudryk’s absence has been a prolonged ordeal, with the initial four-year suspension reduced on appeal. The FA’s decision to lift the ban came after a review of his case, allowing him to rejoin the squad for the next phase of Chelsea’s pre-season tour. The team is set to travel to Hong Kong for a friendly against Juventus on August 5, where Mudryk is expected to participate. He missed the club’s recent tour of Australia, which included a 2-1 friendly defeat to Tottenham in Sydney. Alonso confirmed that Mudryk’s return to training and team dynamics would be gradual, stating, “Once he is with us, we will see how things develop.”

The context of Mudryk’s return comes amid broader changes at Chelsea, including the signing of striker Danny Welbeck from Brighton. The 35-year-old forward, who scored 13 league goals for Brighton last season, joins a squad undergoing a transitional phase under Alonso. While Welbeck’s arrival signals a shift toward experience, the focus remains on integrating players like Mudryk, whose potential to impact the team’s attacking options is significant.

Meanwhile, the recent friendly between Chelsea and Tottenham highlighted the intensity of the rivalry, with Richarlison scoring a last-minute winner for the visitors. The match, which ended 2-1 in Tottenham’s favor, underscored the competitive spirit of pre-season fixtures. For Mudryk, the path back to the pitch remains uncertain, but his return to the squad marks a pivotal moment for both the player and the club.