Chelsea favour surprise loan move for £89m star
Chelsea are leaning towards sending Mykhailo Mudryk on loan to Strasbourg rather than another Premier League club as Xabi Alonso decides the winger’s immediate future.
The latest loan update comes only days after the 25-year-old was cleared to resume his career.
Mudryk has now linked up with Chelsea’s squad in Hong Kong and is able to return to full team training following the resolution of his anti-doping case.
However, almost two years without competitive football means Chelsea must carefully manage his return.
ReadChelsea previously covered Mudryk’s attempts to prepare for a comeback while his appeal was still ongoing, with the winger continuing individual training during his absence.
🚨🔵 On Delap's future:
🗣️ "Everton were keen last summer. I think David Moyes retains the interest in Liam Delap. There could be a bit of a battle for his signature. But I do expect him to go between now and the end of the window."
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— 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 (@TheChelsZoneX) August 3, 2026
Santi Aouna reports that Chelsea are currently leaning towards a loan move to Strasbourg instead of allowing Mudryk to join another Premier League club.
Strasbourg has been discussed as a potential destination for several months. Foot Mercato reported in March that a loan to the Ligue 1 club was viewed as a realistic route for Mudryk once he was allowed to play again.
That option now appears to have moved higher in Chelsea’s thinking.
A spell in France would offer Mudryk the chance to rebuild his match fitness away from the intensity surrounding Stamford Bridge. Strasbourg could also provide the regular starts which would be difficult to guarantee under Alonso.
Chelsea’s attacking competition has increased considerably during Mudryk’s absence.
Morgan Rogers, Jamie Gittens and Geovany Quenda have joined a group which already includes Pedro Neto and Estevao, leaving Alonso with several options in wide areas.
Mudryk remains contracted to Chelsea until 2031, so a loan would give the club time to properly assess whether he can still become an important first-team player.
No agreement with Strasbourg has been reported yet. However, Chelsea’s preference is now reportedly moving towards France rather than a temporary switch elsewhere in the Premier League.
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