You’d expect a star signing to be thrown straight into the starting lineup following a big money move, but that has not been the case so far with Newcastle United and Bruno Guimaraes.
The Brazilian midfielder sealed a £33 million transfer from French giants Lyon in the January window and has played in every single game so far.
Yet those five appearances have all come from the bench, as Magpies manager Eddie Howe has been set on easing the 24-year-old into the side, rather than chucking him straight in at the deep end.
But those limited appearances have also been down to the impressive form of Joe Willock, Jonjo Shelvey and Joelinton in the midfield three, with Howe being keen to reward them for their performances of late.
And when he has featured, Guimaraes has shown glimpses of the quality that he will bring to this Newcastle side in the next few years, while his defensive capabilities have led to Howe denying that he is just a "luxury" player.
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His vision and passing, coupled with his willingness to win back possession and press the opposition in the final few minutes of games, has already seen him receive high praise from Newcastle fans and others alike.
And Howe was particularly impressed with his link-up play with fan favourite Allan Saint-Maximin in the 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, along with his ability to hold the ball in tight areas, as reported by Chronicle Live.
He told reporters: “That's him and that's been him in every little cameo he has given. He has shown what he will bring.
"A couple of lovely passes to Maxi [Allan Saint-Maximin]. They seem to have built a relationship on the pitch already.
"My heart was in my mouth when he did that little pirouette on the touchline, but that is Bruno. He is an out and out footballer.
"He also won the ball back for us at a couple of key moments from a defensive perspective so he can certainly do a bit of everything. He's not a luxury player."
The Magpies are on an impressive run of form at the moment, with an eight match unbeaten run helping to lift them up to 14th and pull seven points clear of the relegation zone.
And it can be assumed that until Premier League survival is all but secured, Howe will most likely stick with the midfield trio of Willock, Shelvey and Joelinton, meaning that Guimaraes will be limited to substitute appearances for a while longer.
But once the Magpies are safe, there will be a good chance that the Brazilian will finally be rewarded with his first start and be able to show his manager and the fans what he is really capable of, ahead of what is sure to be a huge season for him next year.
