Mudryk Injured in Training After Brief Tottenham Debut Against Forest
Mykhailo Mudryk has suffered a training-ground injury just after making his Tottenham debut, putting the Chelsea loanee back out of action following a 16-minute substitute appearance in the 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest.
Mudryk faces another enforced break
The 25-year-old forward had only recently returned to competitive football after his four-year anti-doping ban was removed in summer 2026, when the case against him was discontinued.
- Mudryk’s previous Chelsea appearance came on November 28, 2024.
- He featured in Chelsea’s pre-season programme under Xabi Alonso after being cleared to play again.
- Tottenham secured him on loan after interest from Leeds, with former Shakhtar Donetsk coach Roberto De Zerbi playing a decisive role in the move.
- The agreement includes an option for Spurs to buy him for £75 million ($100m).
It is not yet known how long Mudryk will be absent or when he could make his next Tottenham appearance. The injury further interrupts a career that has stalled badly since his move to England.
Murphy: Spurs can afford the gamble
Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy believes the deal carries limited danger for Spurs because of the attacking depth already available to De Zerbi.
Murphy said the loan was a sensible calculated move, with Tottenham able to send Mudryk back to Chelsea at the end of the campaign if he cannot rediscover the level he has occasionally shown.
- Omar Marmoush can operate from the left.
- Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert and Mohammed Kudus are also options on that flank.
- Murphy said De Zerbi’s previous work with Mudryk was central to the decision to sign him.
- He added that a manager who knows and trusts a player can make a major difference during a difficult spell.
Murphy said De Zerbi’s influence had grown after keeping Tottenham in the division, and argued that the Ukrainian’s arrival was clearly a manager-led signing. He also suggested a deadline-day switch from Chelsea to Spurs would have felt like a familiar Tottenham-style move, but one worth attempting at the reported cost.
What Tottenham must decide next
Mudryk joined Chelsea in January 2023 in a transfer that could have reached £89 million ($119m). He scored 10 times in 73 appearances for the Blues, with five of those goals coming in the Premier League.
His speed remains an asset capable of unsettling defenders, but his stop-start Chelsea spell, lengthy suspension and latest injury mean Tottenham have little certainty over whether the £75m purchase clause will ever be activated. His recovery and ability to force his way past the club’s many wide players will determine the next stage of the loan.
