Mudryk Chelsea return will take time - Alonso
Xabi Alonso says he is "very happy" to be welcoming Mykhailo Mudryk back into his Chelsea squad, but it is "too early" to understand what he can do.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso expressed happiness about bringing Mykhailo Mudryk back to the squad, yet cautioned that it remains too early to determine his role and fitness. The Ukrainian winger, 25, will join Chelsea on their pre-season tour following the resolution of his doping case with the Football Association (FA). Mudryk, who hasn't played since November 2024, was suspended for returning an adverse finding for meldonium, a banned substance.
The FA has concluded its proceedings after Mudryk admitted to violating anti-doping rules and accepted a suspension, which he served along with the one-year and eight-month already spent.
Alonso revealed Mudryk will join the team in Hong Kong, but he has yet to discuss his return with the player. The Chelsea manager emphasized that it is premature to evaluate Mudryk's fitness and availability. Despite having a plethora of wing options like Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens, and Geovany Quenda, Alonso acknowledged the surprise element surrounding Mudryk's return, as the squad was not built with him in mind.
He expressed his appreciation for Mudryk, praising his qualities as a player and person, and hinted that the player's journey will require time to overcome the challenges he faced.
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