(Credit: Imago)

James Murray

Mon 11 May 2026 11:35, UK

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Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk’s career will be “over” if he’s unable to successfully reduce his four-year doping ban. 

That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider the Blues are going to have to take a loss on the Ukraine international at some point.

Mudryk has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after being hit with a four-year doping ban by the FA.

It comes after the 25-year-old was initially suspended by the governing body in December 2024 following an “adverse finding” in a urine test.

Chelsea can terminate Mudryk’s deal once the appeal process with CAS has concluded as the charges put him in breach of his contract at Stamford Bridge. 

Could Mykhailo Mudryk see his four-year ban reduced?

It has been suggested Mudryk’s ban could be reduced on appeal after Paul Pogba previously saw his penalty cut from four years to 18 months following the same offence.

Chelsea signed the winger from Shakhtar Donetsk on an eight-and-a-half-year contract in January 2023, with the deal worth an initial £62million and potentially rising to £89m in add-ons. 

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson discussed Mudryk’s chances of seeing his ban reduced.

“It is quite common that very long bans are reduced at CAS,” said Borson.

“I don’t know why that keeps happening because clearly as a default, it shouldn’t really happen. CAS shouldn’t be there to constantly change what has been decided by the earlier processes. It should only be changing things where the decision is wrong, and clearly there’s a lot of these decisions that are perceived to be wrong.

“He’s got a good chance if you just look at history. Clearly, we don’t know anything about the case at this stage. We know the very top headlines, but we don’t know any of the detail. We’ll find out all the detail when we see the CAS decision.

“The good news for Chelsea is that because he’s already missed 16, 17 months, any cutting of the four-year ban, let’s say it’s cut to 24 months, that would mean he’s back quite soon.” 

What Mudryk’s four-year ban means for Chelsea

Borson revealed Mudryk returning could present a “bigger issue” for Chelsea after how long he’s spent on the sidelines.

“I don’t see how you can go from missing two years of football, and then immediately be at the requisite level,” said Borson.

“That would be unlikely. He’s young enough to theoretically get back to a very good level, but it’s going to be extremely difficult. 

“In some ways, it’s a bigger issue for Chelsea if he does come back because they have a player who’s on enormous wages, who would then be available again, and he’s got a very long contract, so what do you do? They’re very unlikely to be able to sell him.

“You might be able to loan him initially, then maybe get a small fee, but his wages will put a block to most of the possible options on that. It’s great for the player if he can actually get himself unbanned.

“But clearly, if the ban is upheld with the four years, then his career is over. And if he comes back, then he’s got a long road back. Chelsea are probably at some point just going to have to somehow take the losses and move on.”