Mudryk Faces New Injury Setback as Spurs Struggle
Tottenham’s bid to relaunch Mykhailo Mudryk’s career has stalled almost as soon as it began, with the winger injuring his ankle in training just days after his debut.
British media reported the 25-year-old, on a season-long loan from Chelsea, is expected to be out until after the upcoming international break. For a player trying to restart his career – and for a club already under pressure – the timing could hardly be worse.
De Zerbi: ‘A stupid injury’
Roberto De Zerbi, who knows Mudryk as well as anyone from their time together at Shakhtar Donetsk, did not hide his frustration.
“With Mudryk, it was a stupid injury and we hope he can come back as soon as possible. For him and for us,” the Spurs manager told reporters on Friday.
“For him because he suffered too much and for us because we lost an important player. He played 15 minutes in Nottingham, he played well, but it's in the normal process when one player doesn't play for a long time.”
Those 15 minutes at Nottingham Forest in last weekend’s goalless draw were his first in a Spurs shirt, coming off the bench after sealing a deadline-day loan move from their London rivals. It was a brief cameo, but enough to hint at why De Zerbi pushed for him.
A career repeatedly interrupted
Mudryk’s story over the past two years has been one of stop-start momentum.
He left Shakhtar Donetsk for Chelsea in January 2023 with a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting young wide forwards, but never truly settled at Stamford Bridge. Across 73 appearances for Chelsea, he managed 10 goals and 11 assists – flashes of quality without the sustained impact the club demanded.
Then came the biggest interruption of all. An adverse analytical finding for meldonium in an anti-doping test in 2024 led to a four-year ban from the Football Association. Mudryk appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and his suspension was later reduced after an agreement between the FA and the World Anti-Doping Agency, allowing him to return earlier than first feared.
Tottenham represented a fresh start. A familiar coach, a defined role, and a fanbase desperate for spark. Now an ankle injury has checked that momentum again, just as he was stepping back into Premier League life.
Spurs under strain
Tottenham’s need for attacking inspiration is obvious. They have taken only one point from their opening three Premier League matches and sit 17th in the table. The margins are small at this stage of the season, but the mood is already tense.
Losing a player De Zerbi clearly views as “important” strips away one of the manager’s bolder attacking options just as Spurs prepare to host Everton later on Saturday.
For Mudryk, the mission remains the same, only delayed: get fit, stay fit, and finally turn promise into production in north London. For Spurs, the question is whether they can steady themselves without him before he is ready to answer it.
