Xabi Alonso: Mykhailo Mudryk's return to Chelsea 'will take time'

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has expressed his delight at welcoming Mykhailo Mudryk back into his squad for their pre-season tour. The 25-year-old Ukrainian winger is cleared to return to football after the Football Association (FA) ended anti-doping proceedings against him.

Mudryk has been unable to train at Chelsea's facilities or work with club staff during a suspension equal to the one year and eight months already served. To stay active, he hired a private coach and conducted training sessions at non-league side Uxbridge. Alonso noted that it is currently difficult to gauge the player's physical and mental readiness after such a long period away from the professional game.

Yes, he is coming to Hong Kong, but I haven't spoken to him yet. It's too early to tell how he is in terms of fitness, in terms of the game time you need to be involved again, so it's still too early to tell. We want him to feel part of the team. Once he is with us, we will see how things develop. Xabi Alonso

The return of Mudryk comes as a surprise to the club, which has already reinforced its wings with players like Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens, and Geovany Quenda, alongside existing options like Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers.

Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi, who coached Mudryk at Shakhtar Donetsk, offered his support to the player. "He deserves to play. He is a top guy, a good player. I hope he can show, in this next season, what he suffered over the last two years," De Zerbi stated.

Alonso remains optimistic about the winger's potential, recalling his impressive impact at Shakhtar. While acknowledging that Mudryk will need time to integrate, the manager praised his previous ability to create one-on-one situations and make an impact on his own, which remains a valuable asset for the team.