Chelsea have confirmed that forward Mykhailo Mudryk has been contacted by the Football Association (FA) following an adverse result from a routine anti-doping test.
In a brief statement released on Tuesday, the Premier League club acknowledged the investigation into the Ukraine international after a flagged urine sample.
"Both the club and Mykhailo fully support The FA's testing programme, and all our players, including Mykhailo, undergo regular testing," Chelsea’s statement read.
"Mykhailo has categorically confirmed that he has never knowingly used any banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the club will now work alongside the relevant authorities to determine the cause of this adverse finding."
Mudryk, who signed for Chelsea in January 2023 for an initial fee of £62 million ($78.72 million), has struggled for consistent first-team opportunities this season, often being utilized as a substitute in the Premier League.
Reacting to the news, the 23-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday to express his shock at the situation.
"I can confirm that I have been informed a sample I provided to The FA contained a banned substance," Mudryk wrote.
"This news has come as a complete shock to me, as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or violated any rules. I am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have occurred.
"I know I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon. Due to the confidentiality of the process, I cannot say more at this time but will provide updates as soon as I can."
The FA has yet to issue a comment on the matter as the investigation continues. Photo by Dynamomania.com, Wikimedia commons.