Football finance expert reveals Mykhailo Mudryk's failed drug test is a nightmare for Chelsea

Despite good times once again at Chelsea, Mykhailo Mudryk's drug test could push the Blues back into financial trouble.

The Ukrainian winger was provisionally suspended on December 17 after positive test for a prohibited substance.

It is believed Meldonium was found in his system in sample 'A' and he and the club are now awaiting the results of sample 'B'.

Mudryk was hired from Shakhtar Donetsk Just over a year ago, in January 2023, in a massive £88m deal and on a massive eight and a half year contract.

If the 23-year-old's “B” sample tests positive, he could be subject to a four-year ban, something that will not only give him Chelsea headache, it will be the mother of all migraines.

Explaining how complex the issue is regarding the Premier League's sustainability and profit rules, football finance expert Kieran Maguire told talkSPORT the details.

talking to Hawksbee and JacobsHe explained: “There are two issues here, if you fail the drug test and are subject to a four-year sanction, which I think is the maximum, then what they will have to do is look at the existing value. of his contract which he signed for £88m over eight years and they will have to write this into the price they think they could sell the player for in four years' time or alternatively cancel the entire contract.

“That would have significant implications as far as the PSR is concerned, looking at the Premier League handbook there doesn't appear to be any sort of get-out clause in these circumstances, so it could be a huge success for the PSR.”

This is not the first time Chelsea have received a drugs ban for a player, with 2003 star signing Adrian Mutu being banned for recreational drugs rather than performance-enhancing drugs in 2005.

In that case, the Blues asked for compensation and got it: the player was forced to pay Chelsea millions from his own pocket – what could happen to Mudryk, under certain circumstances.

Maguire explained: “There is a bit of precedent when Chelsea signed Adrian Mutu about 20 years ago and he was subject to a different type of failure in a test, but they tried to get the money back and the court awarded them £14m from the player himself. .

“There are many pending issues. If the player is found guilty, there will be what we sometimes call a “ill will” clause in the contract which says that if he behaves in an unprofessional manner, that could constitute serious misconduct and therefore, in those circumstances, The club has the right to break the contract and then seek some form of reparation.

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“If there is a serious misconduct clause in the contract and it is considered part of a minor drug offence, then the club will look at the fine print and see what their options are.

“One option is to suspend the player, another is to terminate the contract, and in those circumstances would they be entitled to any compensation from the player himself? There was a huge investment and he has signed a very long contract.

“At the time I think there were a lot of observers who said this could really work for the club if the player continues to improve and has an asset of increasing value and is locked up for many years.

“The downside and risk is that you are also locked in if things go wrong, so it really comes down to getting proper legal advice and I am sure Chelsea will follow that path if the worst happens.”

Mudryk, for his part, hopes that the worst does not happen, as he said in a statement after the revelation.

“I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to The FA “It contained a prohibited substance,” he wrote on Instagram.

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“This has come as a complete shock, as I have never knowingly used any banned substance or broken any rules, and I am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened.

“I know I haven't done anything wrong and I hope to get back on the field soon.

“I can't say anything more now due to the confidentiality of the process, but I will do so as soon as I can.”