What next for Mykhailo Mudryk? Chelsea have the perfect solution

1 Aug 2026 13:02 BST | 5 min read

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

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Mykhailo Mudryk is back. After nearly two years in the wilderness fighting doping allegations, the Chelsea winger has been cleared for action and can begin the challenge of rebuilding what was once a promising career in the Premier League.

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The news broke on Friday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) agreed to overturn a decision from FIFA to hand him a four-year suspension, which forced him into exile, training alone at Uxbridge FC while hiring goalkeepers to keep him sharp in front of goal.

The FA has confirmed that the case is resolved, and Mudryk is back with immediate effect.

“I am grateful that this process has reached a conclusion, that I have been cleared to return to football and that I can now look ahead to my future,” the winger wrote on Instagram.

“This has been the most difficult period of my career. As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance. My commitment to competing fairly and representing my club and country with professionalism and integrity has always been important to me.

“My focus now is on returning to football, working hard every day, and making a positive contribution on the pitch.”

Those around the player are confident that he can successfully relaunch his career.

In a statement, agent Vadin Shablii of the ProStar Football Agency said: “I've seen first-hand the way he handled this period with resilience, professionalism and character. That says far more about him than anything else.

“Football welcomes back a talented player who still has so much to offer.”

A monumental challenge

Clearly, though, Mudryk faces an almost unique challenge of bouncing back after nearly two years without competitive match action or even top-level team training.

At 25 years old, time is on his side, but the demands of playing in the Premier League are intense and realistically forcing his way immediately back into the Chelsea team would be miraculous. The Blues, after all, have just completed a record transfer for Morgan Rogers, who will feature in his favoured left-wing berth.

Equally, another season on the bench will do him no good after such a long period out of the game.

Time and opportunities will be central to Mudryk getting back to his peak, which made him a €70 million signing for the Blues in January 2023.

Chelsea have the perfect tool to help Mudryk

A loan move would appear to be the natural step for the Ukraine international, and Chelsea’s multi-club model is perfectly adapted to allow him to make such a switch.

Ligue 1 side Strasbourg would appear to be ideally set up to welcome Mudryk into the fold ahead of the 2026/27 French season.

The former Shakhtar winger would join the Alsace side as their best player on paper, according to data analytics firm SciSports, though this does come with the caveat that 20 months out of the game will naturally degrade his sharpness and skills for at least a period.

How Mudryk compares to Strasbourg's top 5 players (SciSports)

Rank	Name	SciSkill
1	Mykhailo Mudryk	96.2
2	Julio Enciso	94.3
3	Sebastian Nanasi	92.5
4	Guela Doue	90.6
5	Diego Moreira	89.8

Strasbourg already have a top performer on the left wing in the form of Diego Moreira, yet he has been hotly linked with a €40 million move to Roma. Mudryk arriving in France would unlock this deal, providing BlueCo with a healthy transfer fee and the winger with an outlet to get back to his best.

The pieces of the jigsaw are falling neatly together, and this could be a scenario in which everyone wins. Chelsea can keep tabs on the player’s development, Strasbourg can complete a record sale and, most importantly of all, Mudryk gets the regular football he needs to restart his career.