The Athletic FC: Mudryk tests positive for banned substance, will Olmo leave Barca for free?

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A shock development at Premier League title contenders Chelsea — one of their big signings has returned a positive drugs test.

Plus: EPL club strikes head coach deal, and why Barcelona could lose Dani Olmo for nothing.

Chelsea winger denies taking banned substance after positive test 

(Photo: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

Just as an air of calm and order was taking hold of Chelsea, some breaking news from Stamford Bridge: Mykhailo Mudryk, their Ukrainian winger, has tested positive for a banned substance.

This is a developing story with lots more to come but on the back of reports about Mudryk in his homeland, Chelsea issued a statement confirming the 23-year-old has been notified by England’s football Association of “an adverse finding in a routine urine test”.

The alleged substance in question is meldonium, which can treat heart conditions but also help athletes recover from intense exercise. It has been on the World Anti-Doping Authority’s banned list since 2016 and is prohibited from use both in and out of competition.

eScored has been told that Mudryk returned a positive sample while on international duty with Ukraine last month. Chelsea say he “confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances”. In a post on Instagram, the player described the positive result as a “complete shock” and stressed his innocence.

What now for £58m signing?

(Joupin Ghamsari/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Mudryk, who Chelsea paid £58m ($73.6m) to are in the market for all the positive vibes they can get. And, after a tough year, so is their Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta. Paqueta continues to wait on the resolution of the many betting charges against him, a raft of allegations he denies but which could end his career.

Last night, away at Bournemouth, a carrot was dangled in front of him and his club. Paqueta converted an 87th-minute penalty to put West Ham 1-0 up, his first goal since October. West Ham were on course to register back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time this season (no small feat) — until Enes Unal intervened with a heaven-sent free kick (above). Sometimes you just can’t catch a break.

Olmo to go? Star summer signing could leave for free if Barca can’t find cash

(Photo: Maciej Rogowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Dani Olmo is the epitome of Barcelona’s hand-to-mouth existence. You won’t have forgotten that when the club signed him from RB Leipzig in August, it took weeks for them to register Olmo with La Liga — because they lacked the money to do so.

Barca got there in the end, but only after a fashion. Olmo, who has been excellent at Camp Nou, is only registered until the end of 2024 — so, for 14 more days. As it stands, Barca don’t appear to have the requisite cash to clear him for 2025. Even a new sponsorship deal with Nike doesn’t sound like it will make the difference.

Here’s the extraordinary aspect: Olmo cost Barca £50m ($63m). The terms of his contract mean that if Barca fail to register him beyond the turn of the year, the 26-year-old could leave on a free transfer. History says they’ll find a way to meet La Liga’s salary spending limit (or placate the governing body). They often have tricks up their sleeve. But the debacle potential here is high.

Scouting a future: Rise of data sees decline of old-school methods

Are scouts in football an endangered species?

The short answer to that is no; or not while the sport maintains its ravenous appetite for recruitment. But the message from this fascinating survey carried out by Phil Buckingham is that old-school scouts (pen and paper, hours on the road, games by the hundred every year) are going out of fashion.

Phil canvassed the views of 40 members of the scouting fraternity, all of whom work for Premier League or EFL teams. Their fears are that when it comes to transfers, technology has taken over — and those recruitment staff who fail to modernise will be rapidly left behind.

To make the point, fractionally over half of the respondents think they’ll still be employed as scouts in five years’ time. Nonetheless, a large majority also believe the introduction of data has helped their work. To quote a voice in Phil’s piece: “The ones who don’t listen (to the analytics) are the ones who are being phased out.”

Another installment of the rise of the machines.

Around eScored FC

• More on Mexico’s Liga MX. This point should be reiterated: a $1.25bn investment deal is on the table for clubs to consider, which could be pretty transformative. But there’s a hell of a lot of politics to contend with too. We’ve got an explainer for you.
• eScored FC podcast has been analysing the sacking of Gary O’Neil at Wolves and Russell Martin at Southampton. My take on Martin was that the mantra of “sticking to principles” is no excuse for accruing five points from 16 games.
• UEFA is hiking up prize money for the 2025 Women’s European Championship to £34m. It’s also introducing a new club competition, in line with the men’s Europa League.
• Is a door about to open for former Tottenham Hotspur starlet Dele Alli (no longer a starlet and without a club)? Como in Italy’s Serie A have invited him to train with them. Head coach Cesc Fabregas will remember the 28-year-old in better times.
• Most clicked in yesterday’s TAFC: the Fat Boar boozer in Wrexham. You love a bit of Ryan Reynolds.

Catch A Match (Times ET/UK)

(Selected games)

UEFA Women’s Champions League (both DAZN): Real Madrid vs Chelsea, 12.45pm/5.45pm; Lyon vs Wolfsburg, 3pm/8pm.

And finally…

A huge flex in Serie A, where Inter put Lazio through the meat grinder last night. Italy’s title race is red hot but Inter winning 6-0 against a side who were unbeaten at home (the pick of the goals from Nicolo Barella, above) was almost them saying, “You’ve had your fun…”

(Top photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)