NZO MARESCA is set to raid the January transfer market if Mykhailo Mudryk cops a lengthy ban.
The Chelsea boss is supporting his winger after a positive test for the banned substance meldonium.
Enzo Maresca has hinted Chelsea could enter the transfer market in January[/caption]
The club could need a new winger if Mykhailo Mudryk gets banned[/caption]
Mudryk, who insists he is innocent, is awaiting the results of a ‘B’ sample taken while on Ukraine duty.
High-flying Chelsea have spent more than £1billion under the current ownership.
Maresca said: “We have three league games before January.
“After these we are going to sit and decide if we need to do something.”
Mudryk’s urine showed traces of meldonium which is considered a performance-enhancing drug.
The 23-year-old wideman, who could be banned for up to four years if found guilty, insists he is in shock at the findings.
Chelsea are well stacked with wingers but are in with a shout of the Premier League title plus a European trophy this season.
Homegrown Tyrique George is most likely to be promoted if Mudryk is suspended long term.
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SunSport understands there is no recall clause in Raheem Sterling’s loan deal with Arsenal.
But with Chelsea in second place behind leaders Liverpool and firing on all cylinders, head coach Maresca is determined his squad will not fall short with silverware within reach.
Meanwhile, defender Josh Achempong, 18, has signed a new contract until 2029.
He was handed his full Blues debut in last week’s Conference League victory in Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, Maresca has also claimed that Mudryk’s career with Chelsea is not over yet.
He added: “We all believe Mudryk is innocent.
“I don’t think Misha’s Chelsea career is over. I think he will come back.
“We don’t know when, that is the only doubt we have in this moment.
“But for sure, he will be back.”
What drug did Mudryk take?
By SunSport’s Joshua Jones
MYKHAILO MUDRYK returned a positive sample for a drugs test in October.
The Chelsea winger could face a ban for up to four years – because the drug was a performance-enhancing substance.
It is alleged Mudryk had the drug meldonium in his system.
Meldonium – aka mildronate – is a metabolic modulator similar to insulin and is widely used in Eastern Europe.
It is used in heart disease therapy but is also claimed to enable athletes to withstand greater stress, use oxygen more sparingly and restore energy levels quickly.
Meldonium was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency banned list in January 2016 following its high prevalence at the 2015 European Games in Baku.
Just months later, former tennis world No1 and Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova was banned for two years by the International Tennis Federation – although this was later cut to 15 months on appeal.
Sharapova had been taking the drug for ten years for various health issues and claimed she was unaware it had been added to the banned list.
Also in 2016, Russian boxer Alexander Povetkin was found to have traces of meldonium in his system before he was due to fight fellow heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder.
How long are drugs bans in football?
By SunSport’s Joshua Jones
MYKHAILO MUDRYK could be banned for up to four years after failing a drugs test
But what are the rules regarding drugs in football?
There is a big difference between recreational drugs and performance-enhancing substances.
Recreational drugs – such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin, LSD and MDMA – carry a six-month suspension.
However, this ban can increase to up to two years if a drug is detected when a player is tested after a match.
But performance-enhancing drugs carry a far more severe punishment.
And crucially the alleged drug Mudryk tested positive for, meldonium, falls under that category.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code’s standard ban is four years.
That is how long Paul Pogba was suspended for following his failed drugs test – although it was later reduced on appeal to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The FA follows the UK Anti-Doping code under the WADA authority so will follow their lead and procedures.
Should Mudryk’s follow-up secondary ‘B’ sample also test positive, he is likely to be hit with at least an 18-month ban but it could be as high as four years.
The only person in football currently banned on the UKAD sanctions list for anti-doping rule violations is Craig Campbell.
The former Scottish striker was banned for four years in December 2022 after being convicted of dealing cocaine.
