Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk plan revealed as Liam Rosenior set for talks | Football | Sport

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has revealed he is yet to speak with Mykhailo Mudryk and will only initiate talks when the time is right. Mudryk has been absent from the Blues’ squad since November 2024 after failing a drug test, and the Football Association charged him with breaching their anti-doping rules last summer.

The investigation is still ongoing, so he remains provisionally suspended from playing, over a year after being notified of an adverse finding. At the time, Mudryk firmly stated that he had never knowingly violated any rules or used banned substances, expressing his shock at the situation.

Since then, Rosenior has taken over from Enzo Maresca at Chelsea and is nearly a month into his tenure. He admits there are many things he wants to do but has not yet managed to do.

During a press conference ahead of Chelsea‘s match against Crystal Palace this weekend, Rosenior was asked if he had contacted Mudryk. His response was: “Not yet. It’s definitely something I want to do, but there are many things I want to do that I haven’t been able to.

“He’s a magnificent player. He’s had a really difficult time, and when the moment is right for me and him and the club, I’ll definitely have a conversation with him.”

Rosenior explained what the appropriate time would look like. He said: “The time is right when I speak with the board and the sporting directors and when it’s right that he’s in a place where I can have an impact, in a positive way, on his career.”

Mudryk celebrated his 25th birthday earlier this month, with Chelsea acknowledging their player on social media for the first time in months to send birthday wishes. While he keeps a relatively low profile online, he did share a post at the beginning of this year.

“Happy New Year to all my fans,” Mudryk wrote on Instagram. “I just wanted to say thank you for your support. I see all your messages and truly appreciate them, so please don’t give up on me as I [have] not [given] up on myself. Can’t wait to see you soon.”

January also marks the anniversary of his Chelsea signing three years ago, and the Ukrainian international still has five-and-a-half years left on his deal. Before his suspension, Mudryk featured in 73 matches for the Blues across all competitions.

However, almost half of those were as a substitute, with 33 appearances from the bench. He netted 10 goals, with all but three coming during the 2023/24 campaign. That remains his only complete season with the club.