Chelsea receives great news in the 2025/26 Champions League

Mykhailo Mudryk's doping suspension unexpectedly became the “key” that helped Chelsea solve their financial puzzle in the 2025/26 Champions League season.

Mykhailo Mudryk – the Ukrainian winger – has not played since December 2024 after failing a doping test. This not only affected his personal career but also created an unexpected advantage for Chelsea in preparing their squad for Europe’s most prestigious tournament.

According to UEFA regulations, players under suspension like Mudryk do not count towards the wage budget or registered squad costs in the Champions League. This detail allowed Chelsea to save up to £17 million – including salary and amortized transfer fees for Mudryk.

This “saving” is significant given Chelsea’s heavy investment in five new signings: Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Liam Delap, and the Brazilian prodigy Estevao Willian. Facing UEFA’s financial fair play rules, The Blues might have had to make tough decisions about trimming their A-list squad. However, Mudryk’s suspension allowed them to exclude him and comfortably add all five newcomers without breaching regulations.

Moreover, Chelsea smartly utilized another UEFA rule allowing the A-list to have fewer than 25 players, while supplementing with youth players from the B-list. Thanks to their well-developed academy, the London club can field homegrown talents like Josh Acheampong, Tyrique George, and Romeo Lavia – all eligible without impacting the main budget. This strategy optimizes squad depth for coach Enzo Maresca while staying within financial limits.

More importantly, Chelsea still have room to expand their budget if they resolve the futures of high-earning stars like Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson. Just offloading these two could free up around £30 million. This would not only allow Chelsea to register their current squad fully but also pave the way for major signings late in the transfer window, such as Xavi Simons or Alejandro Garnacho.

Thus, what seemed like a disadvantage turned into a crucial factor for Chelsea, as Mudryk’s suspension helped them balance their finances, secure their squad, and even create opportunities for exciting transfers at the end of summer.

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