PHILADELPHIA — Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca says the club’s transfer plans will not be affected by uncertainty over Mykhailo Mudryk’s future after the winger’s positive drugs test.
The Football Association announced on Wednesday that Mudryk has been charged after breaching the organisation’s doping rules and he could now face a ban of up to four years.
Mudryk, who denies knowingly taking an illegal substance, has not played since November and was formally suspended by Chelsea the following month after his ‘A’ sample contained the banned performance-enhancing drug meldonium.
The 24-year-old’s ‘B’ sample has now also returned positive and Mudryk awaits the conclusion of an investigation that will determine his punishment.
Maresca confirmed earlier this week that the club are aiming to sign a winger this summer and sources have told ESPN that Chelsea had two bids rejected by Borussia Dortmund for Jamie Gittens prior to the Club World Cup.
Speaking in Philadelphia ahead of the Blues’ second Group D match against Flamengo, Maresca said on Thursday: “We had already one entire season almost without Misha last season. We tried to find different solutions with some of the academy players like Tyrique [George].
“But we’re going to decide to go for a winger not because of Misha. If Misha comes back, we don’t go or if Misha comes back, we don’t? No. In both cases, I think even here you see we have [Noni] Madueke and [Pedro] Neto as proper wingers. And then we try to adapt Tariq, the other day he was inside for some minutes.
“And we try to adapt different players during the season. Christo [Nkunku] or Kieran [Dewsbury-Hall] but for sure it’s something quite clear that it’s a position that we need to improve.”
Asked to reflect specifically on the FA charge, Maresca revealed that he has not talked with Mudryk since end of last month.
“I spoke with Misha in Poland when we played the Conference League final [on May 28],” he said. “I didn’t speak with him since that time.
“To be honest, I didn’t see the news. They communicated to me last night. But there is nothing at the moment I can add because I don’t have more information about that.
“The last time I spoke with Misha, as I said, was in Poland and he was quite good. I didn’t see him worried or at least I didn’t see him not good. He was good, he was OK. Since that day I didn’t speak with him, so I don’t know how he is now. But for sure in the next days, and weeks we are going to have direct contact with him.
“Misha is a Chelsea player. Until he’s a Chelsea player, I will trust all the Chelsea players. It’s not just about Misha. So it is in general.”
Speculation has persisted that Chelsea could be willing to allow Madueke to depart this summer despite Mudryk’s possible ban and the decision not to sign Jadon Sancho, instead returning the loanee to Manchester United.
Chelsea will also be strengthened by the arrival of Estêvão Willian from Palmeiras, who completes a move worth up to €57 million after the Club World Cup, but Maresca appeared to play down the possibility of Madueke leaving the club.
“Noni is our player,” said Maresca. “In this moment you can read many speculations about many players, but Noni is our player and we consider Noni our player also for next season.”
