Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has confirmed failing a drugs test but maintains his innocence, expressing shock at the findings.

Mudryk, who has struggled for consistent Premier League starts but impressed in the Europa Conference League with eight goal contributions in 15 matches, has missed Chelsea’s last four games due to illness. However, his absence might extend further following accusations of testing positive for mildronate—a substance banned by WADA since 2016.

Mudryk’s Response

In a statement on social media, Mudryk acknowledged the situation:  “I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to The FA contained a banned substance.

This has come as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules. I am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened.

I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon. I cannot say any more now due to the confidentiality of the process, but I will as soon as I can.

The positive test stems from a sample taken in late October. A test on his ‘B’ sample will determine the final outcome.

Chelsea’s Statement

The club confirmed the FA’s notification, emphasizing their support for Mudryk and anti-doping regulations:

“Chelsea Football Club can confirm the Football Association recently contacted our player Mykhailo Mudryk concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test.

Both the Club and Mykhailo fully support The FA’s testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested. Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances.

Both Mykhailo and the Club will now work with the relevant authorities to establish what has caused the adverse finding.

The Club will not be commenting any further.”

This case will now proceed with the authorities, while Mudryk and Chelsea await the results of the secondary sample analysis.

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Chelsea has prevented Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk from participating in the 2024 Olympics for a clear reason. According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea has refused permission for Fernandez to join the Argentina side and Mudryk to join Ukraine’s team for the Olympics. Both players are slated to compete at the international level this summer, with Fernandez in the Copa America and Mudryk in Euro 2024.

Enzo Maresca and the club are prioritizing a fully fit squad for the upcoming 2024–25 campaign, hence the decision to withhold Fernandez and Mudryk from the Paris tournament. Allowing Fernandez to participate would result in him missing the entire pre-season, a scenario the club aims to avoid. The same applies to Mudryk.

It’s reported that other clubs are adopting a similar stance; Manchester United is unlikely to release Alejandro Garnacho for Argentina’s Olympic campaign. Additionally, French President Emmanuel Macron had to intervene with Real Madrid to potentially release Kylian Mbappe for the Olympics, although Mbappe wasn’t included in Thierry Henry’s squad.

Fernandez and Mudryk aspire to achieve success at the international level this summer, but it appears they will miss out on the Olympics.

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Fans experienced an unforgettable night as the talented singer Omah Lay graced the stage for a sold-out headline concert, drawing the presence of footballers and celebrities alike.

Omah Lay’s unwavering commitment to honing his craft on stage while delivering music that lives up to the hype has set him apart as an artist. It’s no surprise that he has captured the admiration not only of fans but also of fellow artists and now even footballers.

At his recent concert in London, Omah Lay garnered overwhelming support from his artistic peers, who showed up backstage to celebrate his success from start to finish. A video capturing the camaraderie among the artists and the singer circulated on social media, sparking excitement among fans as they witnessed the outpouring of love and affection for Omah Lay.

Among the notable artists in attendance at Omah Lay’s London concert were Bella Shmurda and Iyanya.

 

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Adding to the star-studded affair, Chelsea player Mykhailo Mudryk confirmed his attendance at Omah Lay’s concert in London through a post on his social media platform. Despite his struggles to reclaim a spot on the first team, Mudryk shared a picture of the venue on his Instagram story on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.

This display of support from a Ukrainian footballer underscores the global recognition Nigerian artists have achieved, reaffirming their status as a brand that transcends borders. Mudryk’s evident appreciation for Omah Lay’s work further highlights the artist’s growing international appeal.

Mudryk is outside for Omah Lay 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CvLqDyBBKe

— Elvis Tunde (@Tunnykvng) February 20, 2024

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Lavia, who was a £58 million signing in the summer, made his long-awaited debut by playing the final 30 minutes of the victory at Stamford Bridge.

However, the excitement of his debut was dampened as Pochettino revealed that, by the end of the game, Lavia could hardly walk. The midfielder is set to undergo fresh medical checks after experiencing another problem, raising concerns about his fitness and availability for upcoming matches.

“He feels something, some issue,” Pochettino said. “We need to check and hope it’s not [bad].

“I’m a little bit worried. I don’t know, because if you were watching the game [against Crystal Palace] you cannot appreciate I was changing the position with Lavia at the end because he was struggling to run. We will see what is going on.

“Hopefully it is not a big issue and he can play with us again. Important player that will recover and it is going to be a shame if we cannot use him in the next few games.”

In addition to the injury concern for Romeo Lavia, winger Mykhailo Mudryk also underwent a scan after the game, having limped off with 20 minutes to go during Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. The extent of Mudryk’s injury is yet to be determined.

As Chelsea concludes the year 2023, they are set to face Luton Town at Kenilworth Road. Luton Town, having embraced their role as underdogs, are currently on a two-game winning streak.

The match will be a challenging end to the year for Chelsea, considering the injury concerns and the form of their opponents.

“I think that game against Crystal Palace is a good example that we need to go there, to Luton, and to think it is going to be really tough,” Pochettino said of the upcoming game. “The stadium, the fans, it is a team that loves to fight, loves to work really, really hard.

“It is so difficult if you watch the last few games at their stadium, it’s always tough for all of the opponents. If we want to get a good result, we need to be ready to of course play football, but we need to match their desire, the capacity to fight in every single goal. It’s going to be a good test for us. It’s the challenge to be consistent. For us now, it’s to go there and first of all to fight, be clever, be focused and then try to win the game.”

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Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that summer addition Romeo Lavia has yet to resume running as he recovers from an ankle ailment.

Lavia, a £58 million summer transfer from Southampton, didn’t make his Chelsea debut until after the international break in September because he wasn’t fully healthy when he arrived at Stamford Bridge.

Lavia was unfortunately forced to return to the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury in practice, and sources stated the 19-year-old could not be able to make his eagerly anticipated debut until beyond this month’s international window. Chelsea will play again on October 21 against Arsenal after taking on Burnley on Saturday.

As Pochettino has stated, Lavia is still a long way from being fit, so it now seems like he will have to wait even longer for his first appearance in a Chelsea jersey.

“I don’t believe [Lavia will be back after the international break],” Pochettino admitted. “I cannot tell you but he is still not running. After the international break he will not be back.”

Lavia’s situation was disappointing, but Pochettino reassured Chelsea supporters that Moises Caicedo, another costly midfielder, should play against Burnley.

In the closing minutes of Chelsea’s victory against Fulham, when Mykhailo Mudryk went down with an injury, Caicedo hobbled out, but Pochettino anticipates both players to contribute against Burnley on Saturday.

“Both in the squad,” Pochettino confirmed. “We will decide whether they are available from the start or not.”

Caicedo struggled at first in Chelsea but rapidly seemed to have settled comfortably, winning Pochettino over in the process.

“Of course, it is about time,” Pochettino said of Chelsea’s record signing. “It is a player you already know from the Premier League but with no pre-season. In a situation where he was not involved for a few months. It is normal he needs time to settle in a new club.

“Even if you are happy and everything is perfect, always it is difficult but the situation that happened in the summer and now it is like pre-season.

“We are happy, we think he was really good against Fulham. Unlucky a little bit because he now needs to go on international duty and play and travel, and it is always difficult to go to South America. It doesn’t help the situation but we need to accept and try to help him in a different way.”

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In an effort to boost Mykhailo Mudryk’s confidence, Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that the two of them have been playing crossbar challenges.

Mudryk left Shakhtar Donetsk for the Blues in January in a transfer that might have cost up to £89 million, although he is yet to register his first goal for the team. Only two assists have been recorded by the winger in his 22 games.

The 22-year-old is now receiving one-on-one attention from Pochettino as he tries to pull Chelsea out of their recent rut. The team has only one victory this year, and they will play Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before playing Fulham again this weekend in the Premier League.

Playing crossbar challenges with Mudryk, according to Pochettino, is essential for boosting his self-assurance.

He said, “With Mudryk, I like to play sometimes to [hit] the crossbar from outside the box.

“He said to me, ‘I don’t want to play anymore with you because you always win.’ I said ‘yes, because I have the belief, and the balance between belief and quality I know very well because I’m 50 years old. You’re still young and you need to know yourself’.

“Today [Tuesday] was the first day we draw, because I always won. Now you start to believe in yourself, believe in your quality. If not, it’s difficult to balance belief and quality.”

On Wednesday against Brighton, Mudryk hopes to play.

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Chelsea player Reece James has opened up about his “hate” for the January transfer window after Chelsea spent over £300million on eight new signings last month.

The 23-year-old right-back, who came through the Blues’ academy, has missed significant periods of the 2022–23 season due to a knee injury.

Since the summer, his team Chelsea has spent more than £600 million on players, thanks to Todd Boehly, the club’s new owner who took over from Roman Abramovich.

The west London club spent around £300 million on transfers alone in January, breaking the previous British record to recruit Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for £106.8 million and bringing in Ukrainian international Mykhailo Mudryk for £88.5 million.

In all, eight players were signed by Chelsea in January, including Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid for £10 million over a six-month period. Seven of these players were given permanent contracts.

One player they decided to sign was 19-year-old Malo Gusto from Lyon, who has been loaned back to the French club and is expected to provide competition for James at right-back next season

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James, speaking to Sky Sports on Monday, has revealed that he is not a fan of transfer windows.

‘The transfer window is one of my biggest hates,’ he said. ‘The January period is always so busy with many games and then you have transfer noise.

‘It’s all a bit too much in one month, I don’t really listen to much… it’s a crazy month.’

🗣️ “The transfer window is one of my biggest hates because the January period is always so busy with many games and then you have transfer noise, it’s all a bit too much.”

Reece James says he dislikes the transfer window. 💰❌ pic.twitter.com/sZ5XwGWspk

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 13, 2023

He added: ‘I quite enjoy playing with new players, you don’t really know what to expect from them.

‘They’ve all come in from different places all over the world, different teams, and they are all here to help at the end of the day. The quicker they can settle the quicker they can help.’

🗣️ “I quite enjoy playing with new players, you don’t quite know what to expect from them. The quicker they’re comfortable and settled the quicker they can maximise our help.”

Reece James on playing with brand new signings. ✍️ pic.twitter.com/TpE8dGYIBT

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 13, 2023

Chelsea has had a terrible season; Graham Potter’s team is now ninth in the Premier League standings and ten points behind the top four.

However, James is certain that once their new players have adjusted, they can become “one of the top teams in the world.”

‘I don’t think there’s a trophy we can’t win,’ the England international said.

‘When that happens I don’t know, but with the team we’re building and what the club is turning into…

‘With all the young players, once we have played together for a longer period of time I think we’re going to be one of the best teams in the world.’

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According to reports in France, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is on the verge of leaving Chelsea for Los Angeles.

The 33-year-old was removed from Chelsea’s Champions League squad last week to allow room for Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Enzo Fernandez to be added to the 25-man squad because he has struggled to make an impression since joining from Barcelona last summer.

Following Chelsea’s decision to sign five new attacking players in the January transfer window, Aubameyang’s chances of playing time appear to be heavily reduced for the remainder of the season.

Le10 Sport, reports that Chelsea and Los Angeles FC have agreed to loan Aubameyang for the latter part of the season.

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According to the report, just a few minor elements need to be worked out before the deal can be finalized, and Aubameyang must still agree to join the Major League Soccer team.

In 17 appearances since signing for Chelsea in a £10.3 million deal in September, Aubameyang has only scored three goals.

Thomas Tuchel, who was fired by Chelsea only days after the striker moved to Stamford Bridge, asked for the 33-year-old to be signed.

As a result of his exclusion from the Champions League squad, Aubameyang missed last Friday’s scoreless draw with Fulham and was seen in Milan with his brother.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles FC’s new MLS season is due to begin later this month as their first league game is against rivals LA Galaxy on February 26.

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Chelsea Football Club have officially announced that they have completed a deal to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British record transfer fee.

Enzo Fernández joined Chelsea for a Premier League record fee and with Premier League record expectations.

He has now completed the standard first procedures for recruits, such as posing with the shirt to indicate that he would wear the No. 5 and use his first name, Enzo, rather than his last name, Fernández.

Unless you come from a league where you have something other than your last name on your shirt, you must use your last name in the Premier League. Enzo went by “Enzo” for Benfica (No. 13) and by “E.Fernández” for Argentina (No.24).

The No.5 shirt was only vacant for a day, with Jorginho relinquishing it after leaving for Arsenal on transfer deadline day (where he will wear the No.20).

Prior to Jorgi, Michael Essien and Frank Leboeuf were frequently linked to the No. 5. It was also worn briefly by Kurt Zouma, Alexei Smertin, and Erland Johnsen.

The talented midfielder made an excellent 2022, which included a number of standout displays for Benfica during his first season in Europe. He shone for Argentina in Qatar at the end of last year as they won the world title, and he was voted the competition’s best young player by FIFA.

Early on Wednesday morning, Benfica announced that the Blues would pay a whopping €121 million fee to sign the Argentina World Cup winner.

Although negotiations between the two parties lasted the entirety of the January transfer window, the move was not formally disclosed until after the deadline.

A world champion in Chelsea Blue. 🔵 pic.twitter.com/g5SOPFjlA7

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 1, 2023

However, Chelsea has now officially announced Fernandez’s arrival at Stamford Bridge, making him their eighth and final edition of the winter transfer window.

Chelsea had already brought in Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos and Malo Gusto, the latter of who will return to Lyon on loan for the remainder of the season.

Upon signing, Fernandez said:

‘I am grateful to Chelsea and its ownership for doing everything they could to make me a part of this project. I’m happy and excited to join the Pride of London, to play in the best league in the world and to compete for the biggest trophies. I can’t wait to play in front of our fans and help my team-mates on and off the pitch.’

Todd Boehly, Chelsea chairman, and Behdad Eghbali, co-controlling owner, said:

‘In Enzo we are signing a World Cup-winner and one of the brightest talents in global football. We are excited to add him to Graham’s squad and we are sure he will form an important part of our team going forward. Enzo has demonstrated his ability at the very highest levels so we’re looking forward to seeing what he will do in Chelsea blue!’

Smile, and the whole world smiles with you. 😁 pic.twitter.com/TiDhCwlzgB

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 1, 2023

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According to reports, PSG are ‘absolutely furious’ with Chelsea over the collapse of Hakim Ziyech’s loan move.

The 29-year-old was in Paris on Tuesday night prepared to finalize the agreement and had appeared set to join the Ligue 1 winners until the end of the season.

Ziyech was close to leaving Stamford Bridge, but a string of errors with the paperwork required to finalize the deal — errors for which PSG has blamed Chelsea — prevented him from doing so.

In an effort to expedite the transaction, PSG filed an appeal with the Legal Committee of the Professional Football League (LFP). They claimed that Chelsea’s failure to sign the documents twice was a factor in the third submission arriving beyond the 11 p.m. deadline.

But the LFP refused to grant Ziyech’s loan move on Wednesday morning after studying the evidence presented to them, leaving the player to return to Chelsea alongside a glut of new signings drafted in to replace him.

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Sources close to PSG have confirmed that the club are ‘bouncing’ and ‘absolutely furious’ at how Chelsea have conducted themselves, sensationally adding the Blues ‘act like the biggest club in the world when buying players, shame they don’t when it is a player moving the other way’.

Chelsea splashed the dough on pricey signings throughout the whole of the January transfer window as Todd Boehly attempts to inject fresh quality into Graham Potter’s underperforming team.

In the waning moments of the window, a British record transfer for Enzo Fernandez of Benfica was approved. Significant sums of money were also spent earlier in January on Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, and Malo Gusto.

Interestingly enough, Chelsea did not lose any players, which gives Potter a difficult time choosing which three players to add to his Champions League team for the upcoming season.

The Blues are currently 10th in the Premier League, some 21 points adrift of leaders Arsenal who also have a game in hand, and face Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

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New Chelsea signing Mykhailo Mudryk has apologised following the publication of a video of him using racial slur in TikTok.

The 22-year-old says he is “truly sorry for any harm caused” after using the racial term again in a TikTok video.

According to sources close to Mudryk, he was attempting to memorize lyrics by US artist Lil Baby.

But the £ 88.5 million January signing has been condemned by fans and campaigners for using the word “irrespective of context”.

The video was posted in July of last year, six months before Mudryk joined Chelsea.

It was later deleted, but not before it had been viewed over 200,000 times.

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Mudryk’s representative told The Sun: “Mykhailo is deeply sorry for any offence caused by the video posted on his TikTok account last July.

“Whilst his intention was solely to recite lyrics of a song, Mykhailo regrets his decision and wholeheartedly accepts it was not appropriate. The video has since been removed.”

Leading anti-discrimination group Kick It Out said in a statement: “Kick It Out condemns the use of all racial slurs, including the N-word irrespective of context.

“The N-word is deeply offensive and the use of this term by high-profile figures in football can only serve to alienate people from the game.

“It is important that footballers use their significant platform in a positive way, and we’re encouraged to see that Mykhailo Mudryk has acknowledged the hurt caused by his use of this offensive slur.”

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According to reports, Chelsea have agreed a British record deal worth £115m with Benfica for Enzo Fernandez.

This January, Fernandez was one of Chelsea’s top transfer priorities, but up until now, their attempts to recruit the World Cup champion have been unsuccessful.

After negotiations stopped earlier in the window, as reported last week that Benfica was expecting Chelsea to make a fresh offer. The Blues did indeed return to the bargaining table over the weekend.

Early on Monday, there was optimism that a deal was close to being finalized, with co-owner Behdad Eghbali and transfer director Paul Winstanley leading the effort. Both men were instrumental in luring Mykhailo Mudryk away from Shakhtar Donetsk.

And according to reports, an arrangement was reached after those discussions, with Chelsea promising to pay more than Fernandez’s £105 million release clause so that Benfica would take payment in instalments.

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Rui Costa merely needs to give his approval to the transfer after openly stating on numerous occasions that 22-year-old Fernandez wouldn’t leave Benfica unless it was on the conditions of the Portuguese powerhouses.

Once all payments have been made to Benfica, the transfer might end up costing Chelsea a British record-breaking £115 million, surpassing the £100 million Manchester City spent Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in the summer of 2021.

There is still time for the deal to be completed before the winter transfer window closes on Tuesday night, even if Fernandez skipped training with Benfica on Monday. Personal conditions had long been agreed upon with Fernandez.

Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are two players who could now be moved on by the club’s hierarchy amid a flurry of Premier League interest as a result of the breakthrough in negotiations.

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