‘Now is the time’ - Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink sends clear message to Frank Lampard over omitted Chelsea star

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Frank Lampard needs to start Mykhailo Mudryk regularly ahead of next season.

Chelsea spent big on Mudryk in the January transfer window, and he initially looked sharp, but the Ukrainian has struggled for form and game time since as he adjusts to Premier League football. It has been a season to forget for the Blues as a whole, and it’s fair to say next-to-no one has stood out this season.

But Mudryk was expected to make an instant impact given his fee, and he hasn’t managed that, whether it’s under Graham Potter of Frank Lampard.

Though, the 22-year-old has only started one of Chelsea’s last four Premier League games, and that includes Tuesday night’s clash with Arsenal, with Lampard again deciding to put the winger on the bench for the trip to the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea legend Hasselbaink was asked about the situation on Sky Sports ahead of the game, and he believes ‘now is the time’ for Mudryk to be given starts as the winger looks to acclimatise to the Premier League.

“He’s had it difficult,” said the former striker. “His first match, I though ‘ooh, he has got something’, and he has got something. But the Premier League is not an easy league to come in.

“It’s the toughest league around, and coming from where he came from, it’s a tough adjustment. he needs matches, and I agree, I’m a little bit surprised that he is not playing a little bit more. Now is the time to give him matches to be stronger for next year. The boy has got talent, it’s ‘can we get it out of him?’”

Mudryk is yet to score for Chelsea, registering just one assist to date, and while it is going to take him time to bed in - especially in an out-of-form Blues side - he is not going to make any headway without regular game time.