Exclusive: Mykhailo Mudryk ‘determined to fight’ for his future

What does the future hold for Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk?

It has been exactly one year since The FA provisionally suspended Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk after testing positive for doping. Just as he approached his 24th birthday, Mudryk’s footballing career had ground to a screeching halt.

Born in Krasnohrad, Ukraine, Mudryk started off in the academies of Metalist Kharkiv and Dnipro before moving to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2016, where he would have to wait two years before making his professional two years. And after loans to Arsenal Kyiv and Desna Chernihiv, Mudryk became an essential figure in Shakhtar’s attack during the shortened 2021/22 season under the watchful eye of Roberto De Zerbi, who recalled him from his loan spell and later admitted “If I don’t bring him to a high level, I will consider it a personal defeat.”

Mudryk established himself as one of the best players in Ukraine with 12 goals and 17 assists in 44 appearances, being named the Ukrainian Footballer of the Year as well as Shakhtar’s Player of the Year for the second season in a row. Similarly to the likes of Tani Oluwaseyi, Jason Shokalook, and Lennart Karl, Mudryk combines a superb ball-carrying ability with an X-factor, a confidence that allowed him to think fast and flourish as Shakhtar’s attacking protagonist.

It was Chelsea who won the race for Mudryk, signing him to an 8.5-year contract for an a Ukrainian Premier League record transfer fee of €70 million, potentially rising to €100 million in add-ons, making him the most expensive Ukrainian player ever. Mudryk made his debut in a 0-0 draw at Liverpool, where he impressed with his blistering pace, his elusive dribbling skills, and his eye for goal.

Ultimately, though, Mudryk never quite managed to make the evolution from the Ukrainian Premier League to the English Premier League. His first touch remained clunky, his finishing flattered to deceive, he gave the ball away far too often and killed far too many counter-attacks with his careless and often selfish decision-making. Whilst he scored 10 goals and 11 assists in 73 appearances, Mudryk was unable to justify his status as a Premier League and Champions League caliber footballer.

Photo IMAGO

Mudryk nevertheless continued to be one of the most indispensable figures in Ukraine’s attack after making his debut in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where Ukraine beat Scotland before losing to Wales. And after scoring in their do-or-die qualifier vs. Iceland to secure their spot in the Euros, he played in Ukraine’s first two Euro matches in Germany. All things considered, Mudryk has scored 3 goals and 5 assists in 28 appearances for the Synʹo-zhovti.

But if Ukraine are to reach the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2006, when they reached the quarterfinals, they’ll have to do so without Mudryk. After playing in both of their UEFA Nations League matches vs. Georgia and Albania, Mudryk rode the bench at Leicester before starting and scoring in their 2-0 win at German side Heidenheim. Little did he know it, but that would end up being the 73rd and likely the final appearance of his Chelsea career.

Mudryk was given a provisional ban after testing positive for the meldonium, a performance-enhancing drug added to the World Anti-Doping Authority’s banned list in 2016. Seven months later, he was formally charged by the FA with violating anti-doping rules in June 2025, and he faces a maximum ban of up to four years.

“I recently met with Mykhailo in London, we still stay in touch. What happened to him was just a very unlucky period; I believe in his innocence and his character,” stated Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergey Palkin in an exclusive EPL Index interview. “He’s mentally strong, ambitious, and determined to fight for his future. I’m sure he’ll come back stronger — his best years are still ahead.”

It remains to be seen whether or not Mudryk will return to play for Chelsea, where he is contract through June 2031, but one thing’s for sure: Ukraine are going to have to make do without their elusive attacking dynamo as they look to return to the World Cup after two decades. Ukraine will face off against Sweden on March 26 before potentially meeting Poland / Albania in the final. If they win both matches, they’ll meet the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia in Group F.