Chelsea’s director, Enzo Maresca, has hinted that the club may explore transfer market options in the January window to address the potential four-year doping ban facing Mykhailo Mudryk. The 23-year-old Ukrainian international tested positive for a banned substance, sparking a provisional suspension from the FA.
Mudryk’s struggles at Chelsea, despite being signed for £89 million ($109m) in January 2023, have been compounded by this latest development. Maresca acknowledged the need for contingency planning, stating that he will convene with key decision-makers in the new year to assess the situation and potentially seek reinforcements.
Chelsea’s immediate focus lies in their remaining three Premier League fixtures of the year, against Everton, Fulham and Ipswich Town. Maresca emphasized the importance of these games, hinting that youngsters like Tyrique George will be given opportunities to impress and improve.
“We have now games before January,” Maresca said. “We have Everton, Fulham and Ipswich. After these three games, we are going to sit and we are going to decide if we need to do something. Tyrique [George] is going to get minutes and we are going to try to help him to improve day by day.”
Chelsea’s upcoming Conference League clash with Shamrock Rovers will likely see them as heavy favourites, but the club’s attention is already shifting towards the January transfer window. With Mudryk’s future uncertain, the Blues may seek to bolster their attacking options to mitigate the impact of his potential ban.
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