According to the Evening Standard on Saturday, August 1, 2026, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said the club was surprised after Mykhailo Mudryk successfully appealed his suspension, clearing the way for the winger’s return to professional football.
Mudryk had received a four-year ban after testing positive for the prohibited substance meldonium in 2024. The Ukraine international maintained he had not knowingly taken the drug and challenged the decision at the Court of Arbitration, where his appeal was upheld.
Speaking after Chelsea’s 2-1 pre-season defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Sydney, Alonso confirmed Mudryk would join the club’s tour in Hong Kong but said the winger’s fitness would need to be assessed.
“Yes, he is coming to Hong Kong, but I haven’t spoken to him yet,” Alonso said, adding, “To be honest, we were not expecting to have this great news at this moment.”
The Chelsea manager urged patience over Mudryk’s return, noting that he would require time to regain match fitness after a lengthy absence. Alonso also expressed sympathy for the player, saying the club was pleased for him after the challenges he had endured during his suspension.
Mudryk joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023 and has recorded 10 goals and 11 assists in 73 appearances for the club.
