Chelsea Transfer News
Chelsea unavailable players against Sunderland: Full injury and suspension list
Chelsea unavailable players against Sunderland: Chelsea travel to the Stadium of Light on Sunday, 24 May, with European qualification still within reach, but several players will not make the trip. Mykhaylo Mudryk, Estêvão Willian, Jamie Gittens, and Jesse Derry are all ruled out for the visit to Sunderland, while Roméo Lavia, João Pedro, and Levi Colwill all face late fitness assessments. The club sit eighth with 52 points, and a positive result could lift them into the seventh-placed Europa League spot.
Chelsea unavailable players against Sunderland: Mudryk’s ban dominates the headlines
The most significant absence belongs to Mykhaylo Mudryk, though the circumstances extend well beyond a routine injury. The Football Association handed the 25-year-old a four-year suspension, the maximum penalty available, following a lengthy investigation into a failed doping test, with the adverse finding originating from a routine urine sample taken in December 2024.
The banned substance at the centre of the case is meldonium, a cardiovascular medication that enhances oxygen delivery to muscles and has been prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2016. Mudryk has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and remains hopeful of a reduced ban, with sources close to the player suggesting a return could come as early as next season. The Ukrainian winger, who joined Chelsea for a reported £88.5 million in January 2023, has not featured for the club since late 2024, and his long-term future at Stamford Bridge looks increasingly uncertain.
Chelsea unavailable players against Sunderland: Hamstring woes hit exciting attackers
The injury picture proves equally damaging in attack. Estêvão tweaked his hamstring during the 1-0 loss to Manchester United and has since been ruled out for the remainder of the season, including this summer’s World Cup. The 18-year-old Brazilian, widely regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in world football, represents a major loss for the Blues heading into the off-season.
Jamie Gittens, meanwhile, was on the verge of returning from one hamstring injury before sustaining another in early April, and no timeframe has been placed on the 21-year-old’s return. Former head coach Liam Rosenior previously raised serious doubts over whether Gittens would feature again this season.
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Roméo Lavia has missed Chelsea’s last two matches with a relatively minor knock, though whether the club will risk him in a dead-rubber context remains to be seen. Regardless of those doubts, the Chelsea unavailable players against Sunderland list means Calum McFarlane must navigate the season finale with a noticeably depleted squad, hoping the players available deliver the win that secures European football.