Arriving at Chelsea in January 2023 for the sum of 100 million euros (including 30 million in bonuses), Mykhailo Mudryk signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract, running until June 2031. A transfer that aroused a lot of curiosity at the time, with some questioning the relevance of spending such a sum for a player who was still almost unknown.

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As feared by many English football observers, the Ukrainian winger has failed to establish himself in the Premier League. Worse still, the former Shakhtar Donetsk player was suspended last June for doping, following a positive meldonium test in December 2024. This case could earn him a ban of up to four years from competition.

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Despite this suspension, Mudryk has no plans to give up high-level sport. According to the Spanish daily Marca, confirmed by AFP, the Ukrainian international is now considering a career change... into athletics.

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"I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to the FA contained a prohibited substance. This is a complete shock, as I have never knowingly used prohibited substances or broken any rules," he said in response to the announcement of his suspension.

Mudryk at the 2028 Olympics?

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With his schedule free for the next few years, Mudryk is said to have ambitions of competing in athletics at the 2028 Olympic Games, with a preference for the premier event: sprinting. Known for his speed, he was clocked at 36.67 km/h during a Premier League match, a performance that fuels his Olympic dreams.

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While the project may seem surprising, the player seems determined to take on this extraordinary challenge. It remains to be seen whether the doping that currently keeps him away from football will prove to be an insurmountable obstacle to his new ambitions.