Stoke manager Mark Hughes will continue to show patience with Giannelli Imbula but admits the club-record signing needs to be better.
Imbula is in line for his first Premier League start of the season at Watford on Sunday, where a combination of injuries to Glenn Whelan and Geoff Cameron plus Joe Allen's suspension have left Hughes short of midfield options.
The former Porto player offered an honest assessment of his early-season performances this week, stating he played "very badly" and needed to apply better application - words which were appreciated by his manager.
Hughes revealed he had chaired his own heart-to-heart with Imbula as he looks to unlock the potential in a player he deemed worthy of £18.3m at the start of the year.
"We had an honest conversation when he went out of the team and I made it clear there were aspects of his game he needed to improve if he wanted to progress in a really difficult league," Hughes said.
"He's working hard and still a young man, in fairness, and this is a big step for him. We've got to be patient because he's going to be here for a long time.
"G is a little bit frustrated and he was honest enough to say that, given the amount of ability he has, he wasn't able to impact games.
"He needed to go out of the team, but we've had a really good response on the training pitch and his focus is very much on getting back into the team.
"It could be this weekend. He's a viable option given the circumstances. His training and his work is first class at the moment, so I'd have no qualms involving him."
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