Chelsea forgotten man's eyecatching dribbling stats prove Xabi Alonso has a real matchwinner

Mykhaylo Mudryk is set to return to action for Chelsea after the FA confirmed that the anti-doping proceedings against him were resolved.

The 25-year-old was banned nearly two years ago after an doping test revealed the usage of meldonium, a banned substance.

He had appealed the decision, but a statement on Friday has confirmed that the Ukraine international has now accepted the violations and will be allowed to return to competition.

Chelsea paid a fee potentially worth up to £89million to sign Mudryk in 2023 and handed him a contract until 2031, yet have seen him make just 73 appearances.

But he will now join up with the team for pre-season, with Xabi Alonso set to make a judgement on his potential involvement this season.

Jamie Gittens has returned from injury and £117m signing Morgan Rogers is also a candidate on the left, with Mudryk potentially set for a loan.

Mykhaylo Mudryk's stats revisited

Mudryk's only full season played for Chelsea came in 2023-24, with the winger making 41 appearances all competitions.

Often appearing off the bench but making 18 Premier League starts, the Ukraine international scored five goals and provided four assists in the league while netting in the cups, too.

The highlight of the winger's Chelsea career so far likely came against Arsenal in 2023. The Gunners had gone close to signing him before Chelsea's intervention.

What looked to be a cross from Mudryk went all the way over David Raya's head and into the far corner, looking to have given the Blues a massive three points at the time before Arsenal came back to draw 2-2.

The 2023-24 Premier League season saw Mudryk register 0.25 expected goals and 0.18 expected assist per game, creating 1.83 chances.

The winger also recorded 1.2 tackles and 2.85 recoveries per game, too, but it was undoubtedly his ability to dribble that was his most exciting attribute.

Mudryk completed 2.22 dribbles per game with a 55.7 per cent success rate overall, winning 5.36 duels and winning 1.54 fouls per 90 minutes.

Can Mudryk get back up to speed?

It's one thing to have been injured and unable to play for nearly two years, but it is a completely different thing to have been banned for that time.

Mudryk has been able to individually train for the last two years but has been nowhere near a competitive game or any team training.

That match sharpness will eventually return but it remains to be seen how such an extended gap away will have affected his game.

Chelsea fans will hope to see Mudryk rediscover what made his signing so exciting, but Alonso will be the ultimate judge.