Tottenham suffer Mykhailo Mudryk injury setback as return date emerges
Tottenham Hotspur have suffered an early setback involving new winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who has picked up an ankle injury in training.
Mudryk joined Spurs from Chelsea on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day, reuniting with Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi, whom he previously worked with at Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Ukrainian winger had only just returned to competitive football after a lengthy absence. He made his Tottenham debut in the 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest, coming off the bench in the second half. It was his first competitive appearance in 646 days following the lifting of his suspension.
However, his return has now been interrupted by the ankle problem.
According to football.london, Mudryk is expected to remain unavailable until after the upcoming international break. As a result, he is set to miss Tottenham’s Premier League meeting with Everton, their Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool and the league fixture against Aston Villa.
The injury is frustrating timing for both Mudryk and De Zerbi, particularly because the 25-year-old is trying to rebuild his career following a difficult period.
Mudryk arrived at Chelsea from Shakhtar in 2023 in a deal worth around £89 million, but he struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge. He made 73 appearances for the club and scored 10 goals before his suspension prevented him from playing for an extended period.
After his Tottenham debut, De Zerbi had already stressed that Mudryk would need patience before reaching his best physical condition.
The Spurs boss explained that the winger was still working towards full fitness and needed time and training before he could perform at his highest level. De Zerbi also highlighted the competition for places, particularly with Mathys Tel, another young attacker with considerable potential.
Mudryk’s long absence from competitive football was always expected to make his return a gradual process. Injury expert Ben Dinnery previously suggested that the winger could potentially regain his sharpness relatively quickly because his long lay-off was not caused by a physical injury.
However, Dinnery warned that returning from individual training to the intensity of Premier League football is rarely straightforward.
Mudryk has been able to maintain his fitness during his absence, but moving from working largely on his own into team training and then competing at Premier League intensity can present difficulties. His explosive style and dynamic movements could also make the transition more demanding.
The expert therefore suggested that although Mudryk could potentially get back up to speed quickly, Tottenham should not expect an immediate return to his best level. Depending on how De Zerbi manages his minutes, it could take several matches or potentially longer before the winger consistently reaches peak performance.
For now, Mudryk’s immediate focus will be recovering from the ankle problem and returning after the international break.
The setback is particularly disappointing because his move to Tottenham was intended to give him a fresh opportunity to restart his career. His reunion with De Zerbi was seen as an important part of that opportunity, and Spurs will now have to wait a little longer to see what the Ukrainian can offer.
