Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has revealed that no decision has been made regarding the future of winger Mykhailo Mudryk, following the Ukrainian international’s return to football after successfully overturning his doping suspension.
Speaking on Tuesday ahead of Chelsea’s pre-season friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong, Alonso said the club’s immediate priority was to help Mudryk settle back into the squad after a lengthy spell away from competitive football.
“No decision made. Everything has happened so quick, so the main thing is that we were thinking about the person, to feel that he was back in the group dynamic, part of the team,” Alonso said.
“We need to assess, but for sure it is a special case with him, so we need to be sensitive.”
Mudryk was initially handed a four-year suspension after testing positive for a low concentration of the banned substance meldonium in 2024.
However, the 25-year-old successfully appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and following changes to anti-doping regulations, he was cleared to resume his professional career last Friday.
The winger has not featured in a competitive match since November 2024, sparking speculation that Chelsea could either send him out on loan to regain match fitness or consider a permanent transfer.
Although Alonso refused to comment on those possibilities, he confirmed that Mudryk is available for selection and could feature in Wednesday’s pre-season clash against Juventus.
“Yesterday was more about the feelings, about the emotions to be back with the team than to assess the fitness level. But yes, he could play. Maybe 90 minutes is too early, but he can be selected,” the Chelsea boss added.
Alonso also spoke about the arrival of experienced England midfielder Jordan Henderson, who completed his move from Brentford on Monday.
The Spaniard said he is excited to welcome Henderson but explained that the midfielder is still recovering from the arm injury he sustained while celebrating England’s victory over Mexico at the World Cup.
“We are looking forward to welcoming him, but we need to assess because of the injury he had and how long it will take him to be fit,” Alonso said.
Henderson joins fellow veteran Danny Welbeck at Stamford Bridge, marking a shift from Chelsea’s recent strategy of focusing mainly on younger players.
Chelsea have so far played two pre-season friendlies, defeating Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 before suffering a 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
The Blues will begin their 2026/27 Premier League campaign against Fulham at Craven Cottage on August 24.
Source: AFP.
