Spurs’ Mudryk sidelined by injury after comeback from doping ban

Tottenham Hotspur winger Mykhailo Mudryk will miss a significant amount of time after injuring his ankle during training. The 25-year-old Ukrainian player, who recently returned from a four-year doping ban, joined Spurs on loan from Chelsea at the end of the transfer window.

Mudryk made his debut for Spurs off the bench in their recent goalless draw against Nottingham Forest. The manager, Roberto De Zerbi, expressed optimism about Mudryk's return, hoping he would be available soon after the international break.

Mudryk's journey with Spurs has not been without challenges. He previously played under De Zerbi at Shakhtar Donetsk before moving to Chelsea in January 2023. Despite struggling to establish himself at Stamford Bridge, Mudryk's career was abruptly halted in 2024 following an adverse analytical finding for meldonium in an anti-doping test.

He appealed the four-year ban imposed by the Football Association to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which subsequently reduced his suspension following an agreement between the FA and WADA.

De Zerbi acknowledged the setback, describing the injury as "stupid" and emphasizing the importance of Mudryk to both the player and the club. The manager highlighted that Mudryk's recent performance in the Nottingham Forest match, where he played 15 minutes, was promising and noted that such situations are common when a player's availability has been inconsistent.