Roberto De Zerbi already knows what Mykhailo Mudryk can do. That familiarity might be the most important reason this loan makes sense — because almost everything else about it is complicated.
Tottenham confirmed on Tuesday that the Ukrainian winger has joined on a season-long loan from Chelsea, a month after being cleared to resume his career following a doping case that had kept him sidelined since November 2024. De Zerbi and Mudryk previously worked together at Shakhtar Donetsk in 2021-22, and the Spurs manager didn't hide his enthusiasm.
"I know exactly what he can bring to our team," De Zerbi said. "He has the quality to change a game with his speed and ability in one-vs-one situations. I will demand a lot from Misha and it is our job to help him find the best version of himself."
The doping case, explained
Mudryk tested positive for meldonium while on international duty with Ukraine. The English FA handed him a four-year ban in January, which he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. While that appeal was pending, the World Anti-Doping Agency updated its procedures — meaning the same test result would no longer result in charges being brought. He was cleared and free to play with immediate effect.
None of that makes it a clean story. Mudryk hasn't kicked a competitive ball in over six months. He's signed to Chelsea on an 8.5-year deal worth 100 million euros — one of the most expensive transfers in the game's history — and he'll turn 26 this season having contributed far less than that fee demanded. A loan to a cross-London rival is an admission that the Chelsea project, whatever it was meant to be, has stalled badly.
Does he actually fit at Spurs?
Tottenham have spent north of $400 million in this transfer window alone and are not short of attacking options out wide. Savio joined from Manchester City just two weeks ago. Adding Mudryk to that mix raises a legitimate question about minutes — and whether a player returning from months off the pitch, with the psychological weight of a doping case behind him, will get the consistent run of games he needs to find form.
De Zerbi's track record of developing wide players is the genuine reason for optimism here. The Spurs boss builds systems that reward pace and directness — exactly the tools Mudryk carries. If anyone can squeeze value out of this situation, the tactical fit is there.
But Chelsea's betting markets should reflect what this loan quietly confirms: that a player signed for nine figures hasn't worked out, and there's no clear plan for when — or whether — he returns as a first-team asset at Stamford Bridge.
