Edouard Mendy believes Chelsea will see "the best of" Timo Werner and Kai Havertz from next season after the German forwards endured testing debut campaigns at Stamford Bridge.
Much was expected of two big-money additions when they made their way to west London from RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen during the summer of 2020, but neither has lived up to their price tag.
There have been flashes of brilliance and the odd cause for optimism, but it may be that consistency proves elusive until 2021-22.
What has been said?
Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy told the club's official website: "They are really good players. They are young players and it is the first time that they have moved to another country.
"I think they needed a couple of months to adjust and understand the Premier League but I see them every day and I know how good they are. I am happy for them. They showed their qualities on the pitch.
"Next season, 100 per cent, we will see the best of Timo and Kai. Even this year, we have enjoyed their good levels of performance and they are important for us."
How many goals have Werner and Havertz scored?
Havertz, who has been used as a false nine by Thomas Tuchel over recent weeks, bagged a brace as Chelsea saw off rivals Fulham 2-0 in their last Premier League outing.
Werner teed up one of those efforts and is one of only five English top-flight players to have reached double figures for goals and assists this season.
The 24-year-old has found the target on 11 occasions, while Havertz now has eight efforts to his name.
The bigger picture
Havertz and Werner will be hoping to figure again when Chelsea host Real Madrid on Wednesday in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
That contest is 1-1 on aggregate, with Tuchel's side - who are already FA Cup finalists and top-four contenders - ready to switch their focus back to continental competition.
Mendy added: "It is not easy to switch between the two Champions League games with a Premier League match in the middle but we did it.
"The manager knows how difficult it is to stay focused in the game against Fulham but we had a good start even though they pressed us high. We stayed strong together and were clinical in the counter-attack.
"To be honest, we won against Fulham and it was a hard game, but now we must recover and be focused on the Real Madrid game. It is a semi-final and we have won nothing. We need to be ready for this battle."
Further reading
- Chelsea boss Tuchel reveals plan to frustrate Ramos
- Moyes reacts to talk of £40m Abraham raid
- Tuchel tops Mourinho to make Premier League history