Source: Denver in exclusive NWSL franchise talks​​

Enzo Maresca has said that Chelsea believe Mykhailo Mudryk is innocent following his positive drugs test and will continue to “support” the player.

Mudryk and Chelsea released statements on Tuesday confirming that the FA had been in contact over the Ukraine winger supplying an adverse urine sample, with both player and club expressing their surprise.

Head coach Maresca faced the media for the first time since that news on Wednesday and insisted that everyone at Chelsea trusts Mudryk, who is not training with the team while they await further test results.

“We are all upset, sad,” Maresca said. “We are giving him general support.

“We trust Mykhailo, when these types of things happen you need to support your player in all the aspects. He is one of the players in my squad so it is my duty to be in contact with him, we are all there. The teammates, the club, me, we are all there.

“Trust means we believe Myka, we support him. We want to help him in anything he needs. It is normal that in this moment he needs help from the club and we are there to support.”

Pressed on whether “trust” meant Chelsea feel Mudryk is innocent, Maresca nodded and replied: “We all believe [he is innocent].”

Reports in Ukraine on Tuesday suggest a prohibited substance was found in an “A” sample given at the end of October. Those same reports state the “B” sample has not yet been tested but will be in the coming days.

Confirmation that Mudryk has used a banned substance could trigger a lengthy ban from football. FIFA’s guidelines state that the maximum ban for an anti-doping violation is four years.

“It is not the first time this has happened. It will happen again for different players, they know exactly what they have to do,” Maresca added. “I think he is going to come back, but for sure we don’t know when.”

Mudryk was one of the most sought-after players in Europe when he joined Chelsea in January 2023, for a fee which could potentially rise to £88 million.

But the 23-year-old has started just 26 Premier League games and only one this season under new boss Maresca, who admitted Chelsea could well look to more January reinforcements.

“We have three or four games before January,” he said. “After these three games, we will see if we need to do something.”

Chelsea play Shamrock Rovers in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday before Premier League fixtures against Everton, Fulham and Ipswich Town to close out 2024.

The NWSL is closing in on Denver as its latest expansion franchise, having entered into exclusive negotiations with an investment group led by IMA Financial Group CEO Rob Cohen, a source told ESPN.

The source, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the negotiations, added that the expansion fee will likely be between $105 million and $120 million, which would be a record for the league.

But the source stressed that the deal hasn’t been finalized, adding that the league hopes to have the deal completed sometime in early January. The previous record expansion fee was the $53 million paid by Bay FC in 2023 and Boston earlier this year. An NWSL spokesperson declined to comment.

Sportico was the first to report the news.

Last month, prior to the NWSL Championship final, league commissioner Jessica Berman identified Denver, Cincinnati and Cleveland as the three finalists, but barring a late snag in the deal, Denver is poised to become the league’s 16th team. Boston is set to begin play in 2026.

The investment group includes include an entity called For Denver FC, which is comprised in part of Ben Hubbard, the CEO of insurance company Parsyl, and Tom Dunmore, a former soccer executive with USL side Indy Eleven and until recently the vice president of marketing for Major League Cricket. Phos CEO Nicole Glaros and former NWSL player and soccer broadcaster Jordan Angeli is also involved.

But Cohen is expected to provide the bulk of the financing, and he will serve as controlling owner. Cohen has long been involved in sports endeavors in the Denver area, including as a board member of the Denver Sports Advisory Committee and as a board member of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation, which is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.