Mykhailo Mudryk could play his first Chelsea match for 20 months on Wednesday according to manager Xabi Alonso.
The Ukraine international last played competitively in November 2024, before he was suspended for testing positive for banned substance meldonium.
The 25-year-old was last week cleared to play again by the FA.
He flew to join the rest of the squad in Hong Kong ahead of their friendly with Juventus alongside new Chelsea signing Danny Welbeck.
Mykhailo Mudryk could make a long-awaited return to action for Chelsea against Juventus in Hong Kong. May JAMES / AFP via Getty Images And now, with the season beginning in under three weeks for Chelsea, Alonso is keen to see Mudryk get onto the field.
"Yes, he could play. Maybe [to play] 90 minutes it's too early, but he can be selected. He's selected, so he can play," Alonso said.
"He trained yesterday, came directly from the airport to the hotel.
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"So, yesterday was more about the feelings, more about the emotions, to be back with the players to assess the fitness level."
Mudryk's future is very much up in the air now that he has been cleared to play again, with a potential loan deal on the cards.
The Ukraine forward will now undergo a two-week assessment period to see how Mudryk adapts to life back training for Chelsea.
Alonso clarified that this is indeed the case and that circumstances were different with the Ukrainian.
Mykhailo Mudryk has scored 10 goals in 73 appearances for Chelsea. May JAMES / AFP via Getty Images He added: "No decision has been made. Everything has happened so quick, so the main thing is thinking about the person, to feel that he was back in the group dynamic, part of a team, and we need to assess [how he is doing].
"But for sure, he's a special player. It's a special case with him, so we need to be sensitive."
Mudryk signed for Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 and scored 10 goals in 73 appearances for the London side before his suspension.
He remains under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2031.