Enzo Maresca has thrown his support behind Mykhailo Mudryk, saying he believes the Chelsea winger’s insistence that he is innocent of taking a banned substance.

Although Maresca admitted Chelsea could be forced into the January transfer market if their £89m winger is hit with a long ban for a positive drug test, the head coach said all is not lost for the 23-year-old. Mudryk, who has been provisionally suspended by the Football Association, is fighting to clear his name after meldonium was detected in a positive A sample. The Ukraine international is waiting to find out if a B sample backs up the initial result, but he issued a statement on Tuesday denying any wrongdoing and he still enjoys the backing of his club. “We trust Misha and we support Misha,” Maresca said. “Trust means that we believe Misha.”

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