Mykhailo Mudryk has a fresh start. The Ukraine winger joined Tottenham on deadline day, 1 September 2026, on a season-long loan from Chelsea. The Mudryk Tottenham loan includes a £75m option to make the move permanent next summer. Unlike Omar Marmoush’s deal, Spurs don’t have to use it.
It’s his first move since a doping case kept him off the pitch for almost two years. He hasn’t played a competitive match since November 2024.
How the doping case ended
Mudryk was provisionally suspended in December 2024. A test taken that October had found a low concentration of meldonium, a prohibited substance. He always said he had never knowingly taken a banned substance.
An independent panel later gave him a four-year ban. On 30 July 2026, the FA and Mudryk reached an agreement to resolve the case, with WADA’s approval. Mudryk accepted the violations, and his ban was set at the time he had already served. That left him free to play again straight away.
The FA also noted that WADA’s technical rules had since changed. The changes don’t apply retroactively, but under the new rules the same sample would not have been reported at all.
Why Tottenham moved for Mudryk
Spurs wanted another wide attacker late in the window. Reports say they moved for Mudryk after Manchester City beat them to Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye. Leeds United had also held talks with Chelsea about a loan.
The key figure was Roberto De Zerbi. He coached Mudryk at Shakhtar Donetsk during the winger’s breakout years and once said he would consider it “a personal defeat” if Mudryk didn’t reach the top level. Mudryk said he was “so excited to be reunited” with his old coach.
It’s also a rare deal between London rivals. The last player to move directly between Chelsea and Spurs was goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini in 2009.
The Mudryk Tottenham loan in numbers
| Loan | Season-long, 2026-27 |
| Option to buy | £75m (not mandatory) |
| Chelsea fee (Jan 2023) | £62m upfront, up to £89m |
| Chelsea record | 53 Premier League appearances, 5 goals |
| Last competitive match | November 2024 |
What this means for his career
Chelsea signed Mudryk in January 2023 after beating Arsenal to him, but his Premier League record never matched the fee. This loan is a reset, not a step up.
He will need time to rebuild match sharpness after almost two years out. Playing again under a coach who already knows how to get the best from him is probably his best chance to do it.
Our take
Spurs’ risk here is low: a loan with no obligation to buy. If Mudryk rediscovers his Shakhtar form under De Zerbi, the £75m option becomes a real decision next summer. If he doesn’t, Tottenham can walk away.
Sources: The FA; Caught Offside; To The Lane And Back; Wikipedia.
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