Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler says Femi Azeez is not yet ready to make his competitive debut for the club.
The 24-year-old joined Brighton from Sky Bet Championship side Millwall on transfer deadline day, but has yet to feature for the Seagulls after suffering an injury on the opening day of the season.
Azeez used the three-week international break to make an appearance in a behind-closed-doors friendly as he continues his recovery. The Nigeria international is also adapting to the demands of his new club and aiming to regain full fitness.
Speaking before Brighton’s trip to Sunderland on Saturday, Hurzeler said Azeez had experienced minor physical problems following his return to action.
“He played in a friendly game and he had some minor issues this week,” Hurzeler told The Argus.
“What I mean by that is his body needs to adapt to our intensity, to our demands, the demands in the Premier League.
“I think he’s feeling now that he’s in his adaptation phase.
“It’s not an injury but there are some small, minor issues and, again, he’s a player who is quite sensitive.
“We have to get a feeling now of what makes sense for him.
“Does it make sense to play tomorrow, does it make sense to play in the next game?
“It’s a decision we have to do together.”
Hurzeler urges patience with new signings
Hurzeler said Brighton must give new arrivals enough time to settle into the squad and become accustomed to the club’s environment.
The Brighton head coach added that players adapt at different speeds, meaning the club would assess Azeez’s response before deciding when he should be involved in a competitive match.
“Like with all the new players, we have to be patient,” Hurzeler said.
“That’s no surprise for us. We are patient with every player who steps new into this environment.
“We try to give him a good environment where you can improve and where he can adapt to certain things.
“Some players need more time, some players are quicker. We have to see how Femi reacts to this.”