(Credit: Imago)

Ciaran Morrison

Wed 6 May 2026 10:38, UK

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Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk could see his football ban reduced to two years when he lodges his appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport [Cas].

That is according to ex-Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking to Football Insider, after the FA handed Mudryk a four-year drugs ban.

The 25-year-old was originally charged by the FA in June 2025, and a four-year ban is the maximum sentence that the governing body could have imposed.

With bans typically backdated to the start of the provisional suspension, which for Mudryk was December 2024, the Ukrainian is expected to be able to return to football in December 2028.

Mudryk joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Dontesk for £89million in January 2023, but he has now not played a competitive match since November 2024.

Mykhailo Mudryk hit by ‘nuclear option’ by FA

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – is predicting Cas to find “loopholes” to be able to shorten Mudryk’s ban to two years.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness states that Mudryk is still young enough to reignite his career once he has served his ban.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I must admit I was a bit surprised at four years.

“Four years, that is like career execution. I think you’ll find that Cas will try and find any loopholes they can to try and reduce that from four years. My guess is that he’s probably going to end up with a two-year ban, and then he’s going to have to come back and try and rehabilitate himself.

“He’s still young enough to be able to get through that. Four years is the nuclear option, and so I was a bit surprised at that length. Cas will do what they can.

“A failed test is one thing but ending your whole career over is another, and we’re going to see some sort of way that they’re going to justify reducing the band from four to two. So that’s where I think it will end up.”

Chelsea open to selling forward this summer

It has been a turbulent season on and off the pitch at Chelsea, and the Blues are preparing for what could be a busy summer transfer window.

Alongside hiring a new permanent manager, Chelsea’s financial state means player sales are expected to happen.

After just one season at Stamford Bridge, former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Chelsea could be open to offers on winger Alejandro Garnacho.

The 21-year-old has failed to make an impact since joining from Man United, and Chelsea’s next manager needs to sign some experienced players to help resolve problems in the dressing room and on the pitch.