West Ham United manager David Moyes said he is in no rush to hand new signing Said Benrahma his Premier League debut.
Benrahma joined the Hammers on an initial loan contract from Championship club Brentford last Friday, which would be made permanent at the end of the season for a reported £25 million fee.
On Tuesday, the Algerian winger joined his new teammates for his maiden training session at their Rush Green training centre and Moyes has been impressed by his performance.
Ahead of Saturday’s Premier League encounter against Manchester City, the tactician downplayed the comparison between Benrahma and his compatriot Riyad Mahrez, who might feature for Pep Guardiola’s side at the London Stadium.
The Scotsman also stated that he will be patient with the 25-year-old who scored 17 goals in the Championship last term to adapt to life in the English top-flight.
“Said’s doing well. I think he’s needing to get up to speed with what we want and where we are,” Moyes was quoted by Evening Standard. “The way the players are playing, it’s given me that opportunity to get a bit more time with him.
“Like I always say, with the boys I bring in from the Championship, I’m not in a great rush to put them in the team.
"I want to give them opportunities, but I want to do it at the right time, when I think it’s best for them. There’s a difference in that Mahrez came from the champions in Leicester, and we’re bringing Said from the Championship.
“We’re bringing him on and developing him and looking to see if he can step up to the levels required.
“But what I’ve seen at the moment is good signs. We’re trying to get him a little quicker, a little more ready for the Premier League.
"I’ve done it with a lot of Championship players over the years, so I’ll take my time, bring him on when I’m ready and, hopefully, get him in the right condition to start and play well when he does.”