Mykhailo Mudryk (Photo: REUTERS/Molly Darlington)
Mykhailo Mudryk (Photo: REUTERS/Molly Darlington)
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to football after his disciplinary doping case was resolved, but Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol said on Aug. 1 that the Ukrainian player may not return to the field anytime soon — and could be sent out on loan first.
"We'll have to wait for Mudryk's return to the pitch. I think he still has a long and winding road ahead to get back into playing shape. He hasn't played or trained properly in two years," Solhekol said.
"That said, he's kept himself in very good physical condition. Mykhailo trained on his own. He had coaches. He even hired goalkeepers [to train with]. He trained at the facility of a West London club that doesn't play in the Premier League. He wasn't allowed to train at Chelsea's facility, but it's unclear how long it will take him to return. I don't know how much time will pass before we see him in Chelsea's Premier League squad again."
Solhekol suggested Mudryk may need to go out on loan before returning to Chelsea. "Mudryk may have to go out on loan before returning to Chelsea, but I think he still has something to prove, since he was a very expensive signing for the club, and I think he himself would admit that things haven't gone as well as they could have since his move to the Premier League," Solhekol said.
[Михайло Мудрик (Photo: Reuters/Andrew Couldridge)
Ukrainian footballer tests positive for doping and risks lengthy suspension](https://english.nv.ua/life/chelsea-s-mykhailo-mudryk-faces-possible-suspension-after-positive-doping-test-50474821.html)
Mudryk has not appeared in an official match since November 2024. In December 2024, England's Football Association (FA) informed the Ukrainian winger that his doping sample had tested positive for the banned substance meldonium, and he was subsequently suspended from football.
In January 2026, an independent FA disciplinary panel ruled that Mudryk had violated anti-doping rules and banned him from football for four years. Mudryk appealed the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
While the appeal was under review, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) updated its technical guidance on meldonium. Although the change is not retroactive, the concentration of the substance found in Mudryk's sample would not be considered a violation under the current rules. As a result, the FA, Mudryk and WADA agreed to end the appeal proceedings.