Ukraine manager Andrea Maldera supports Tottenham Hotspur‘s Mykhailo Mudryk over missing out on this international break because of an injury and has left the door open for his return in the future.
The winger last featured for his country in November 2024, while at Chelsea. He was then out for over 18 months for alleged doping before receiving clearance to return in July.
Xabi Alonso left him out of his core plans at Stamford Bridge. Therefore, on deadline day, the Blues let the 25-year-old join Tottenham on loan with an option to buy. He previously played under Roberto De Zerbi at Shakhtar Donetsk and reunited with the coach at Spurs.
The attacker made his debut in the north London club’s goalless draw against Nottingham Forest. He picked up an injury in training, forcing him to spend weeks on the sidelines and miss this international break.
New message to Tottenham man
Last weekend, Andrea Maldera urged Mykhailo Mudryk to “stay calm” and focus on his recovery. He also revealed about the contact with both the player and the Premier League side.
Ukraine will face Georgia in the UEFA Nations League clash on Monday. Their media has been speaking to the national team manager, and Sport.ua have relayed his comments about the Spurs attacker.
Maldera recently said there’s no winger like the Tottenham Hotspur player. After pointing this out, they now ask whether he still shares the same opinion or changed his mind, and if he plans to call-up Mudryk in November.
“Obviously, it’s always a shame when players are injured and can’t be with us. Every player has their own characteristics and qualities. Mudryk is a brilliant winger; we know all his strengths, he plays well out on the wings,” he said
“I want to talk about the players I have in my squad. I’m happy to have the players I have with me right now. And in the future, when Mykhailo is able to return, he’ll be an important asset for the national team.”
| Statistic | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | Chelsea total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 17 | 41 | 15 | 73 |
| Minutes played | 748 | 2,015 | 849 | 3,612 |
| Goals | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| Assists | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Goals + assists | 2 | 9 | 7 | 18 |
| Minutes per goal | — | 288 | 283 | 361 |
Challenging task at Tottenham
Mykhailo Mudryk was out of action for long and has only played 16 minutes so far. He needs to regain rhythm and his best shape, but the setback has hindered that process.
This, coupled with Spurs’ poor start to the season, makes it more complicated for him to be a starter under Roberto De Zerbi immediately after he regains full fitness.
In short, the injury makes the Ukraine international’s situation more challenging at Tottenham Hotspur.
