Chelsea: Mykhailo Mudryk in contention to face Juventus after drugs suspension lifted | OneFootball

Ukrainian has joined his team-mates in Hong Kong ahead of Wednesday’s pre-season friendly

Xabi Alonso has revealed that Mykhailo Mudryk is available for selection against Juventus following his return from a doping ban.

Mudryk joined up with Chelsea’s squad in Hong Kong on Monday after resolving his anti-doping disciplinary proceedings with the Football Association (FA).

The Ukraine international was provisionally suspended by the FA in December 2024 after an "adverse finding in a routine urine test" revealed a low concentration of the prohibited substance meldonium.

He was then charged with breaching the FA’s anti-doping regulations in June 2025 and subsequently banned for four years following a hearing in January.

Mudryk appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He then resolved the appeal proceedings with the FA, and it was announced that he could return to competition with immediate effect.

Mudryk’s Chelsea future remains uncertain, and he has already been the subject of numerous enquiries from clubs, including in the Premier League.

Mykhailo Mudryk is with the Chelsea squad in Hong Kong

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For now, though, he is part of Chelsea’s squad for their pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, with Alonso revealing he would be included in the squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Juventus.

"We trained yesterday. He came directly from the airport to the hotel. So, yesterday was more about the feelings, more about the emotions, to be back with the players to assess the fitness level. But yes, he could play, maybe 90 minutes too early, but he can be selected. He's selected, so he can play,” Alonso said in his pre-match press conference.

Mudryk has not played for Chelsea since November 28, 2024, when he scored in a 2-0 win away to Bundesliga side Heidenheim in the Conference League.

On Mudryk’s return, Alonso added that he was happy to be able to integrate the 25-year-old into the team.

He said: "We are thrilled that Misha could be with us. We are thrilled. I think that you could see his smile, how great it was for him to be part of a team, because he's been a long time training on his own.

"And fitness level, we will see. But he has been working hard, and now it's about trying to get to do things, passing the ball to teammates, having to integrate in the dynamic. But the first feeling from everyone, we are happy that he's back with us in the team."

Alonso was also asked about the fitness of new signing Jordan Henderson, who underwent successful surgery on a freak wrist injury sustained in the aftermath of England’s dramatic 3-2 last-16 victory over Mexico last month.

Henderson signed a two-year deal this week to join Chelsea from Brentford following the mutual termination of his contract.

The 36-year-old is currently on extended leave following England’s run to the semi-finals of the World Cup, but Alonso hopes to have him back training with the rest of the players who made it to the latter stages of the tournament.

“With Jordan, we expect he can start training with all of the rest of the players in the semis,” Alonso continued.

“We need to assess with Jordan how long he will not be able to compete because of the injury he had.”