Chelsea handed Mykhaylo Mudryk fitness boost?

The £89m signing, as expected, was handed an opportunity in the starting lineup as Ukraine squared off against England on Saturday evening.

Despite generally impressing more for his nation than he has at Premier League level for Chelsea, Mudryk endured a quiet outing in the Euro 2024 qualifier.

During the closing stages, Mudryk attempted a sprint as Ukraine chased a winner against the Three Lions, only to go down clutching his leg.

At the time, the issue was passed off as cramp, the 22-year-old reaching the 90-minute mark of a game for the first time since July.

However, it was later claimed that Mudryk, who requested that he be substituted, had suffered an issue with his calf, making him a doubt for Tuesday's encounter against Italy.

Given the three-day turnaround, it remains to be seen whether any risks will be taken on the winger, regardless of the severity of the problem from Saturday.

Nevertheless, as per the Evening Standard, Mudryk was fit enough to participate in a recovery session on Sunday.

Barring no further setbacks, Mudryk now appears likely to make the trip to Milan with the rest of the Ukraine squad for what is a crucial fixture in their group.

From Chelsea's perspective, head coach Mauricio Pochettino is eager to avoid further injuries to members of his first-team squad, particularly in attacking areas.

The Argentine has found himself short during the opening weeks of the season, contributing to just four points being recorded from as many Premier League fixtures.

Mudryk was forced to miss matches with Luton Town and AFC Wimbledon due to a minor injury before playing the final 13 minutes of the defeat to Nottingham