Soccer-Mudryk joins Tottenham on loan from Chelsea

Ukraine forward Mykhailo Mudryk joined Tottenham Hotspur on ​a season-long loan from Premier League rivals Chelsea ​on Tuesday, just over a month ‌after ​the 25-year-old was cleared to return following an anti-doping ban. "It's a great feeling. I can't wait to start training and playing for the club, ‌and I'm so excited to be reunited with (coach) Roberto De Zerbi," Mudryk told the club's website.

"I'm a player who brings speed and creativity, and I want to help in both the offensive and defensive areas. I ‌want to make the fans excited." Mudryk will be joined at the north London club by central ‌defender Tosin Adarabioyo who also made the switch from Chelsea shortly before the transfer deadline for a reported fee of £7 million.

Mudryk joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 but struggled to make a big impact before his career was put ⁠on hold ​after an adverse analytical ⁠finding for meldonium in an anti-doping test in 2024. He was banned for four years by the Football Association but appealed to ⁠the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the suspension was subsequently reduced in agreement with the FA and the ​World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Tottenham, who have spent around £300 million ($405.39 million) in the summer window, have been seeking ⁠to bolster their attacking options and had been keen to sign Everton's Iliman Ndiaye, who signed for Manchester City earlier on ⁠Tuesday. Mudryk, ​who made 73 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 10 goals, had a previous spell under De Zerbi at Shakhtar Donetsk.

"Having worked with Misha earlier in his career, I know exactly what he can bring ⁠to our team," the Italian said. "He has the quality to change a game with his speed and ⁠ability in one-vs-one situations, ⁠and is an exciting, attacking talent. I will demand a lot from Misha and it is our job to help him find the best version of ‌himself."

Mudryk has 28 ‌senior caps for Ukraine. ($1 = 0.7400 pounds)