Mudryk has not been allowed to play or train with his teammates for the past six months and may face a four-year ban.

Chelsea has been trying to sign a new left winger this summer, but were unable to agree on terms with Borussia Dortmund for Jamie Gittens. They may revisit this opportunity in the future.

During a press conference ahead of their Club World Cup game against Flamengo, Maresca discussed the club's strategy.

Maresca stated, "We had almost a full season without Misha last season. We tried to find alternative solutions using some of the academy players, such as Tyrique (George).

"However, we have decided to look for a new winger. This decision is not solely based on Misha's situation. If Misha returns, it won't change our plan. We already have players like Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto who can play as wingers. We also try to adapt other players to different positions throughout the season, such as Christo (Nkunku) or Kieran (Dewsbury-Hall). Our goal is to improve our squad, and we believe a new winger is essential."