"Wouldn't expect to need time to settle in at that price" - Paul Merson claims Chelsea's new recruit has 'shown nothing' since signing

Aston Villa legend Paul Merson has called out Chelsea's new signing Mykhaylo Mudryk for offering 'nothing' to the Blues since joining the club last month.

The Ukrainian winger was among a handful of first-team players that were brought in by the Blues during the winter transfer window.

Chelsea splashed a whopping £88 million to secure the services of the highly rated 22-year-old winger from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Despite the heavy expectations on his shoulders, Mudryk hasn't been able to find his feet yet at Stamford Bridge. The winger made an impressive debut against Liverpool last month, but has struggled to replicate such performances in subsequent games for the Blues.

Meanwhile, renowned pundit Paul Merson recently gave his take on Mudryk's below-par displays since joining the West London giants.

He added that the Ukrainian shouldn't need much time to settle, considering the heavy price tag that he commanded. Merson said:

"They brought Mykhailo Mudryk for £88m and, bar a cameo of 20 minutes, he's shown nothing. I mean nothing. You wouldn't expect to need time to settle in at that price."

He went further to claim that Mudryk and other forwards who were signed by the Blues last month aren't better than the players already in the squad. The 54-year-old added:

"The forward-thinking players are no better than the ones they've already got, so what's the point? You can't tell me that Noni Madueke is a better player than Raheem Sterling or Christian Pulisic. He's not. Why are you buying loads of players that aren't better than what you've got? None of them improved the team bar Enzo Fernandez and the centre-half [Benoit Badiashile]."

Mudryk is still waiting to register his first goal contribution for the Blues. He has made five appearances for Graham Potter's team in all competitions so far.

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Paul Merson gives his thoughts on Chelsea vs Tottenham clash this weekend

West Ham United v Chelsea FC - Premier League

The Blues will be hoping to get back to winning ways this weekend when they take on London rivals Spurs in the Premier League. Graham Potter's team have endured a difficult 2022-23 Premier League campaign and currently occupy the tenth position in the league table.

Ahead of the much-anticipated London derby, Paul Merson claimed that Chelsea's game against Spurs could be a defining moment in Potter's career at the club. He said:

"This Sunday is Chelsea's biggest game of the season - it's Tottenham. If he [Potter] loses this one, I’m not sure there is a way back because the fans will go ballistic. This game can change everything though - if they beat Spurs he can also be a hero."