Tottenham Hotspur have suffered a significant setback after new summer signing Mykhailo Mudryk sustained an injury in training and faces several weeks on the sidelines.
The 25-year-old completed a loan move to Spurs on Deadline Day, with the North London club holding an option to sign the winger permanently for £75 million at the end of the campaign.
The injury comes at a particularly frustrating time, as Mudryk had only recently returned to competitive football after a doping ban kept him sidelined for 20 months.
The ban was dropped by the FA in July, paving the way for his move to Tottenham and a long-awaited return to professional action.
Mudryk played his first match in 646 days when he made his Tottenham debut in the 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest, making the training ground setback all the more bitter.
According to Football London, the forward is expected to remain sidelined until after the upcoming international break, ruling him out of several important fixtures.
Mudryk will miss Saturday’s Premier League clash against Everton, the Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool, and the home visit of Aston Villa the following weekend.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi had already acknowledged that Mudryk would need time to rebuild his physical condition after nearly two years away from competitive football.
The Argentine coach had been hoping to play a key role in helping the Ukrainian winger resurrect his career at a club that finished 17th in the Premier League in each of the last two seasons.
Tottenham moved decisively in the summer transfer window to reshape the squad under De Zerbi, bringing in several high-profile additions including Omar Marmoush and Savio from Manchester City.
Mudryk originally joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 in a deal worth up to £89 million, having announced himself as one of Europe’s most thrilling young attackers.
He had contributed 10 goals and 11 assists across 73 appearances for Chelsea before his doping ban brought his career to an abrupt and painful halt.
His move to Tottenham was designed to provide a fresh start, but the latest injury means his rehabilitation continues to be disrupted at every turn.