On Saturday, London’s Chelsea lost 1-2 to Tottenham in a friendly match in Sydney. Richarlison scored the winning goal in the final seconds.
Xabi Alonso's team continues to experiment with the lineup and test young players. The Londoners are now heading to Hong Kong.
Mikhail Mudrik will join the team there. The Football Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency have reached a settlement in his case.
Recall that the Ukrainian tested positive for meldonium at the end of 2024. He has not played in official matches since November. Now his suspension has been officially lifted.
Insider Fabrizio Romano confirmed the player’s imminent return.
“Mikhail Mudrik is flying to Hong Kong today to join the Chelsea squad and will immediately be at the disposal of Xabi Alonso,” the journalist reported.
Chelsea previously bought the winger from Shakhtar Donetsk for £89 million. The coach is ready to give him a chance to prove himself ahead of the new season.
Initially, Mudrik will be a rotation player. He needs time to regain fitness. A summer transfer is excluded, so he will have the opportunity to establish himself in the starting lineup until January.
