Tottenham Hotspur's Mykhailo Mudryk has suffered an ankle injury in training and is expected to be sidelined until after the upcoming international break. The setback comes just days after the Ukrainian winger made his long-awaited return to competitive football following a 20-month doping ban.
The 25-year-old sustained the injury during a training session this week. Mudryk had only just made his first competitive appearance in 646 days as a substitute in Saturday's 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest. His cameo, which included winning a free-kick on the edge of the box, marked his first taste of action since November 2024. Manager Roberto De Zerbi had already cautioned that it would take time for the player to regain full match sharpness.
Mudryk's absence further depletes a forward line already missing several key figures. The club is currently without Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons, who are both recovering from anterior cruciate ligament injuries and are not expected back this year. James Maddison has missed the last two matches with a shoulder complaint, an issue he picked up coming off the bench on the opening day of the season.
Richarlison has been left out of the Premier League squad entirely. Dejan Kulusevski is back in full training and Sweden boss Graham Potter recently said he was 'very close' to a return after more than a year out with a knee injury. The injury to Mudryk, who was signed on a season-long loan from Chelsea to compete with Mathys Tel on the left flank, could have seen him in line for significant minutes in the upcoming Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool. Instead, De Zerbi's options to start up front against Everton are likely to come from Dominic Solanke, new signings Omar Marmoush and Savio, Tel, and Mohamed Kudus.
The ankle problem is another hurdle in a turbulent period for the player. Mudryk was banned for 20 months after breaching the Football Association's doping rules. He returned an adverse finding in a urine sample, which led to a provisional suspension and then a four-year ban handed down by the FA in April. Mudryk lodged an appeal against that ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
A resolution between the FA and the World Anti-Doping Agency was finally reached on July 31, clearing him to return to club training and selection. During the 20-month period, he had to train away from all Chelsea facilities on his own. His deadline day move to Tottenham, which prompted the club to loan teenager Mikey Moore to Cologne, was designed to resurrect his career.
The injury news is an unwelcome distraction for a team struggling for form. Tottenham currently sit 18th in the Premier League with just one point from their first three games. Their record shows zero wins, one draw, and two losses, with a goal difference of minus five after scoring none and conceding five. They are already eight points behind early leaders Manchester City. Their next match is a key home fixture against Everton on September 12.
With Mudryk now unavailable, the focus shifts to the other attacking players De Zerbi has at his disposal. The manager has been critical of some performances, stating that Kulusevski 'takes too many wrong decisions'. The club boosted its forward options during the window with the signings of Savio from Manchester City and Omar Marmoush, after being beaten to the signing of Iliman Ndiaye by City. Mudryk will miss the home league games against Everton and Aston Villa before the extended international break, as well as the Carabao Cup third-round tie at Anfield. The team's upcoming schedule is available on our fixtures page. Tottenham's next match is at home to 8th-placed Everton this Saturday.
