Mykhailo Mudryk, 23, has not played in any matches since November after being temporarily suspended by the English Football Association. The Ukrainian player tested positive for the banned substance Meldonium. Mudryk claims he never knowingly used the substance, and Chelsea stated at the time that they were investigating the cause of the positive test.

Chelsea signed Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023, beating Arsenal to his signature. However, Mudryk has failed to meet expectations, scoring only 10 goals in 73 appearances for Chelsea.

His last match was against German side Heidenheim in the Europa Conference League, where he scored in a 2-0 win. After that, Mudryk only sat on the bench during Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa on December 1.

In a brief interview with a Ukrainian journalist, Mudryk said: “We are still trying to get through this situation. I am still in shock and hope everything will be resolved soon. I have already spoken about this in my statement, and now we have to wait and see.”

He had previously stated that he was in “complete shock” upon hearing about the ban.

Mudryk said in his statement: “This was completely shocking to me because I have never knowingly used banned substances or violated any rules. My team and I are seriously investigating how this could have happened. I know I have done nothing wrong and hope to return to the pitch soon.”

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca also defended Mudryk in a December press conference: “The situation is a bit clearer now, and a statement has been made—there’s nothing more to add. The club, the coaching staff, and everyone at the training ground will support him. We are fully behind him.”

“We trust him. When things like this happen, you have to support the player. He is a Chelsea player and part of the team, so it is my duty to stay in touch with him. We are all with him. This is not the first time something like this has happened. It could happen to other players. They know what to do, and that’s why we trust and support him.”