Xabi Alonso Says Mykhailo Mudryk’s Return to Chelsea Will Require Patience

Xabi Alonso, Chelsea’s manager, expressed his happiness about Mykhailo Mudryk rejoining the squad but emphasized that it is premature to judge his impact on the team. The 25-year-old Ukrainian winger will take part in Chelsea’s pre-season tour after resolving a doping issue with the Football Association (FA).

Mudryk’s Absence and Doping Case

Mudryk had not played since November 2024 after being provisionally suspended due to an adverse test for meldonium, a banned substance. The FA concluded its investigation once Mudryk accepted breaching anti-doping regulations and served a suspension of one year and eight months.

Reintegrating into the Team

Following Chelsea’s 2-1 friendly loss to Tottenham in Sydney, Alonso confirmed Mudryk would join the team for the next stop on their pre-season journey in Hong Kong. Alonso admitted he had yet to speak directly with Mudryk.

"It’s too early to tell how he is in terms of fitness or game readiness," Alonso said. "He’s been through a lot that we probably don’t fully understand."

Due to the suspension, Mudryk couldn’t train at Chelsea’s facilities or with club staff. Instead, he arranged private coaching and trained with the non-league side Uxbridge. Alonso acknowledged that this isolation made things very tough for Mudryk.

"He trained alone every day. It must have been really hard because he wanted to play and be part of a team but couldn’t for so long," Alonso added. "We expect it will take time to get him fully back into the rhythm."

Squad Context and Future Prospects

Alonso also noted that Mudryk’s return was unexpected since Chelsea had developed a wide array of options for the wing positions. The squad includes Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens, and Geovany Quenda, alongside Cole Palmer and new signing Morgan Rogers, who can also cover those roles.

"Honestly, we didn’t expect such positive news at this point," Alonso remarked.

Support from Former Manager Roberto de Zerbi

After Chelsea’s friendly against Tottenham, Spurs boss Roberto de Zerbi spoke about Mudryk, whom he managed at Shakhtar Donetsk before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"He is like a son to me," De Zerbi said. "I’m very happy for him; he deserves to play. He’s a good player and a great person. I hope this season he shows what he has endured over the last two years."

De Zerbi also shared his gratitude towards his former players, especially Mudryk, explaining that the war caused him to leave Shakhtar rather than football reasons.

Alonso Reflects on Mudryk’s Talent

Alonso recalled watching Mudryk at Shakhtar and was impressed by his speed and ability to create chances one-on-one.

"He’s a special player but definitely needs time to regain form," Alonso concluded.