Chelsea release statement on Mykhailo Mudryk failed drugs test

Chelsea have released a statement confirming that Mykhailo Mudryk has been found to have taken a banned substance during a routine drugs test.

The Ukrainian forward has released a statement of his own on his official Instagram page and Chelsea have also confirmed that the FA have been in contact.

A statement on the club's official website read: "Chelsea Football Club can confirm the Football Association recently contacted our player Mykhailo Mudryk concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test.

"Both the club and Mykhailo fully support the FA’s testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested. Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the club will now work with the relevant authorities to establish what has caused the adverse finding."

Mudryk has been provisionally suspended by the FA as a result of the banned substance being found in a regular urine test. The Ukrainian refutes taking the substance knowingly, however, saying: "I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened."

Mudryk could face a lengthy ban from the FA if found guilty, with reports suggesting anything up to four years out of action could be handed down as an extreme punishment.

This is a developing story, we will update with more information as we get it.