It is increasingly likely that Mihajlo Mudrik's Chelsea career peaked during a brilliant but ultimately indecisive debut in a goalless draw with Liverpool in January 2023.

The volatile striker scored just ten goals for the Blues over the next two years - just five in the Premier League - and is now accused of fails a drug test.

Mudryk insists the news came as a "complete shock" and has strongly protested his innocence. Here's everything you need to know about the 23-year-old's latest turnaround Chelsea career.

Mudryk has sat out Chelsea's previous five matches, most recently appearing for the west London outfit in the Victory in the European Conference League 2-0 via Heidenheim. Enzo Maresca repeatedly explained the Ukrainian's absence with the excuse of "illness", but The Times are reporting that Mudryk was not available for selection after this positive test.

A specialist sports law firm representing Mudryk strongly insisted that its client "has not been charged with any form of doping offence".

However, Chelsea confirmed that the FA had discovered "an adverse finding in a routine urine test".

Mail Sport report that the positive sample is related to the contaminated supplement. Although it has not been confirmed by the player or the club, the Ukrainian portal that first reported the news of the failed doping test, Tribunehe called the banned substance mildronate.

Mildronate, which is the brand name for meldonium, has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2016. Most commonly used to treat heart disease, and included in the same group as insulin, it has been found to improve athletic performance by increasing the body's capacity to transport oxygen.

The Soviet shoulder took the drug while trekking through Afghanistan's sparsely populated mountains between 1979 and 1989. Former Russian tennis pro Maria Sharapova infamously tested positive for meldonium in March 2016 and received a temporary suspension.

Any potential contamination is expected to have occurred outside the UK as the substance is not available in this country.

Maximum penalty Mudryk he could face a four-year ban.

This heavy penalty can only be applied in two scenarios, as stated in FIFA statutes. First, if the player has taken a prohibited substance and cannot prove that it was accidental. Or, the player has taken what is classified as a "specified substance" - something that is banned but may have a plausible explanation other than doping - and FIFA can prove that he did it intentionally.

If none of those scenarios are met - for example, a player can prove he accidentally took a banned substance - the ban could be reduced to two years.

Mudryk was reported to have passed a drug test in August and insists he did not change anything before the positive result in October.

Should Mudryk receive a four-year ban in the new year, he will have two-and-a-half years left on his Chelsea contract, which does not expire until 2031.

Mudryka is currently waiting for a match. Under FA rules, the striker was provisionally suspended after being informed of the positive test before attempting to give an explanation.

During each drug test, the player's urine or blood is split into two parts; A and B. Mudryk's positive result came from his 'A' sample. Now the 23-year-old is awaiting the results of his 'B' sample which will be revealed in due course.

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