Mykhailo Mudryk's future is becoming a big question mark after the Ukrainian midfielder was allowed to return to play. This decision surprised Chelsea and forced them to soon determine the plan for the 25-year-old player.
Mudryk's most recent match took place in November 2024, before he was banned from playing for violating doping regulations. During the time waiting for the case to be handled, he was not even trained with Chelsea. This is a rare case when a player has to leave professional football for a long time but not because of injury.
The remaining days of the pre-season period will help The Blues assess Mudryk's fitness. However, there are still many questions that need answers: will he maintain his confidence after nearly 2 years away from the pitch, will his tactical sense and pace of play be affected, and how long will it take to regain his peak form?
Below are three options Chelsea can consider.
Giving a chance to return to the first team
When recruiting Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 for a fee that could be up to 89 million pounds, Chelsea placed high hopes on the talent of the player who was only 22 years old at that time. He also signed a contract with a term of up to 8 and a half years.
However, Mudryk has not been able to meet expectations. After 53 appearances in the Premier League before being banned, he only scored 5 goals and had 4 assists. Although sometimes leaving his mark, stability is still missing.
Chelsea still hopes Mudryk can fully develop the potential that once made many big teams, including Arsenal, pursue him. The Stamford Bridge home team also believes that coach Xabi Alonso can help the Ukrainian player find his best version.
The problem is that Chelsea's squad is currently too cramped. Although many players are expected to leave or be loaned before the transfer window ends, Mudryk still has to compete with a series of names such as Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, Morgan Rogers and Geovany Quenda.
Chelsea's failure to participate in European cups next season also significantly reduces the need to rotate the squad, meaning Mudryk's chances of playing will be even more limited.
Lending to regain form
A more feasible solution is to let Mudryk join another club on loan.
This will help him regain his competitive feeling, fitness and confidence in a less stressful environment than Stamford Bridge. For a player who has been out of action for nearly 2 years, being on the field regularly is the most important factor.
Coventry City of coach Frank Lampard is said to be one of the first teams to express interest. Lampard had a short time working with Mudryk at Chelsea in 2023.
In addition, Chelsea may also consider sending the Ukrainian player to another European tournament to play. This could be a suitable stepping stone for Mudryk to gradually return to top football, while helping to increase the transfer value if he plays successfully.
Selling outright in the summer
This is considered the least feasible option.
The long period of not playing has significantly reduced Mudryk's value, so Chelsea can hardly collect the desired transfer fee. However, selling this player can still bring in revenue for the team to continue to balance finances and streamline forces.
The Blues have already planned to liquidate some players this summer. If they part ways with Mudryk, they will also cut his salary, in the context that the contract between the two sides is still valid until 2031.
However, a truly determined team will be needed to be ready to invest in Mudryk and give him a long-term contract when there are still too many question marks about his form.
One of the names mentioned is Tottenham. Coach Roberto De Zerbi, who used to coach Mudryk at Shakhtar Donetsk, always highly appreciates this player. Even the Italian strategist once called Mudryk "my child" and predicted that he could win the Ballon d'Or in the future.
In the context that Tottenham is looking for a new winger, the possibility of this team approaching Mudryk is unavoidable, although this is still considered a difficult scenario to happen.
