Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet has backed Mykhaylo Mudryk to fill the former club’s winger Eden Hazard’s boots at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea beat Arsenal to sign Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in the January transfer window.

However, after a promising debut against Liverpool on January 21, Mudryk’s performances have faded.

The Ukrainian has managed only one assist in nine games for Chelsea so far.

But Poyet believes Mudryk is the type of player Chelsea need to make a difference.

“Explosive, direct, and very, very quick. "He's the type of player that needs to make a difference,” Poyet told The Evening Standard.

“The job Mudryk will have in the future is what Eden Hazard did at Chelsea; he’s that type of player, and the potential is there.

“If we analyze the players they bought, there is definitely a plan. They are players that have been signed for the future. "The new message is patience,” he added.