Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez joined Premier League giants Chelsea on a loan deal during the summer transfer window. The Spaniard is yet to make a meaningful impact at Stamford Bridge.
Manager Thomas Tuchel has tipped the 26-year-old Spanish international to adapt to the Premier League and establish himself as an important player for the Blues as the season progresses.
Tuchel said: “It takes maybe now a bit of time to get it off his shoulders, but the good thing is he is of an age where he does not worry too much.
“He is self-confident, and the good thing is everybody in the dressing room and in the club knows him very well and played many times against him.
“So there are no doubts. It just needs a bit of time, and the best thing to react is what he did. He trains good, and he trains with intensity, and this will prepare him for the next time he is on the pitch for us.”
Saul had dropped down the pecking order at Atletico Madrid last season, and he wasn’t a key starter for Diego Simeone’s side. He had limited opportunities to play, and that explains why the Spaniard is looked rusty this season.
The midfielder lacks sharpness right now, and he will need some time to regain his peak form and adapt to his new surroundings.
Tuchel went through a similar transition when he took over after the sacking of Frank Lampard last season, and the German will know all about the challenges Saul is facing right now.
The intensity and the physicality of the Premier League can be difficult to handle for some players.
The German manager managed to overcome his difficulties and help Chelsea win the Champions League last season. He will be hoping for a similar impact from the midfielder this season.
There is no doubt that the Spaniard has the technical ability and the physical attributes to succeed in English football, and it remains to be seen whether he can force his way into Tuchel’s first-team plans in the coming weeks.