Chelsea are ready to allow Mykhailo Mudryk to depart on loan this summer, with the 25-year-old winger keen to secure regular first-team minutes after nearly two years away from competitive football.
The Ukrainian has not featured in a competitive match since November 2024, when he tested positive for the banned substance meldonium while on international duty. He was provisionally suspended by the FA in December 2024, formally charged in June 2025, and handed a four-year ban in April 2026. That ban was lifted in July 2026 after all charges were dropped, following an agreement between the FA and WADA rooted in a change to the scientific reporting standards used by accredited anti-doping laboratories when analysing meldonium samples. Under the revised protocols, no anti-doping rules violation would have been recorded had Mudryk been tested today, though the new thresholds cannot be applied retroactively.
Having rejoined Chelsea's pre-season tour, Mudryk made three brief substitute appearances — against Juventus, AC Milan and Johor Darul Ta'zim — and at meetings held towards the end of that trip he agreed with the club that a loan move before the 1 September transfer deadline was the right course of action.
Chelsea will not entertain a permanent sale, though keeping Mudryk as part of the first-team squad has not been entirely ruled out either. The Blues have new signing Morgan Rogers as their primary left-wing option, with Jamie Gittens and Geovany Quenda also capable of operating on that flank. His contract at Stamford Bridge runs until 2031, and the club signed him from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023 for €100 million.
Mudryk's preference is to remain in England, and at least three Premier League clubs have made enquiries. Coventry City are among them, with manager Frank Lampard having worked briefly with the winger during his caretaker spell at Stamford Bridge in 2023. Italian clubs have also registered interest, as has Chelsea's BlueCo sister club Strasbourg — who have already taken Filip Jorgensen and academy prospect Genesis Antwi on loan from Chelsea this summer. FIFA rules cap loans between two clubs at three players, meaning Strasbourg could still accommodate Mudryk, though he would rather stay in the top flight.
Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has spoken carefully about the situation. "Everything has happened so quick, so the main thing is thinking about the person, to feel that he was back in the group dynamic, part of a team, and we need to assess [how he is doing]," Alonso said. "But for sure, he's a special player. It's a special case with him, so we need to be sensitive."
Defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who stayed in regular contact with Mudryk throughout his absence, was equally warm in his assessment. "Misha is a freak. His work rate is unbelievable. There is no doubt he has been working hard throughout this whole time," Adarabioyo said. "I know he has been doing sessions away. I have seen him. I know the guys he has been working with, so it's good. Misha is my guy. I have kept in contact with him throughout and it is really nice to have him back. I am really happy for him. You can see he is just really happy to be around and back in the environment. It is obviously going to take him some time, but we are all here to support him."
Mudryk, who has 21 goal contributions across 73 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, is seeking clarity on his immediate future before the new Premier League season gets under way.
Reporting: GiveMeSport, Football.London, BBC Sport, Evening Standard, Metro, CaughtOffside.