Mykhailo Mudryk Cleared for Chelsea as Tottenham Prepare for Sydney Derby

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to football with immediate effect after his four-year doping suspension was resolved. The Ukrainian international had been suspended after testing positive for a low concentration of the banned substance meldonium in 2024, leaving him without a competitive appearance since November 2024.

Mudryk lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Following recent updates to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines, the Football Association confirmed that the concentration detected in his original sample would no longer trigger a reporting violation under current rules. Having accepted the initial charge and served a two-year period of ineligibility, the 25-year-old—who joined Chelsea in 2023 on an eight-and-a-half-year deal worth €100m (£86m)—expressed gratitude that the process had concluded, while Chelsea confirmed they will support his reintegration into the squad.

Spurs Tour News and Injury Updates

The announcement comes as Chelsea prepare to face London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Sydney's Accor Stadium. The fixture marks the final match of Spurs' pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia, following a 2-0 victory against Auckland FC and a 1-1 draw with Sydney FC that ended in a 4-2 penalty shootout win.

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi will be without James Maddison and summer addition Mateus Fernandes for the clash. Maddison, who missed most of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury before returning for the final three league games, continues to manage a minor knock. Fernandes, an £85m signing from West Ham, is sidelined with calf fatigue and will resume training once the team returns to London.

However, Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie, and £52m signing Jan Paul van Hecke could all feature for the first time on the tour after taking part in Friday's open training session.

De Zerbi Teases Further Transfers

Having already overseen six summer additions as part of a £237m transfer outlay, De Zerbi indicated that Tottenham's transfer business is roughly 60 per cent complete. Speaking ahead of the Chelsea fixture, the Italian manager revealed he expects "two, maybe three" further arrivals before the transfer window closes.

Addressing comments regarding a potential "bomba" signing, De Zerbi clarified that he was referring to securing top-tier talent, citing existing additions like Sandro Tonali, Marcos Senesi, Mateus Fernandes, and Calvin Robertson as examples of that profile. Spurs remain active in the market for attacking reinforcements following a long-term foot injury to Bournemouth target Eli Junior Kroupi.