Ayyoub Bouaddi is set to go straight into the Manchester City squad for the trip to Crystal Palace on Friday, with Enzo Maresca declaring the £80m man ready for the Premier League.
Bouaddi completed his move from Lille this week and will bolster a City midfield that has lost Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Nico Gonzalez this summer. Marc Guehi was thrust into midfield against Bournemouth last time out, while Mateo Kovacic is another option to partner record signing Elliot Anderson in the middle of the park.
Maresca: He is ready
But Bouaddi, who starred in club football in France and for Morocco at the World Cup, is ready to be unleashed even if City will not rush the teenager into the XI.
"Yeah, he's ready," said Maresca of Bouaddi. "He was working with his former club so he is fit. We will see how long it is in terms of adaptation but for sure he is ready to go."
"We need to go slowly because he is very young and came from a different country. So no rush for him, for sure he is going to help us now and in the future but he is very mature."
Pressure of the fee
Maresca also feels Bouaddi can handle the pressure of a huge fee at such a young age.
He added: "I think so (he can handle the pressure). He doesn't look 18 and this is important and it is my job and from the club to manage him in the best way so don't put pressure on him, know that he is young and that he needs time."
Team news for Palace trip
City remain without Jeremy Doku for the game at Palace but Anderson is fit having come off against Bournemouth with cramp. Matheus Nunes, who came off the bench against the Cherries, is still not 100 per cent fit and may have to settle for a place among the substitutes.
Maresca must decide whether to continue with Rico Lewis at right back or shift Abdukodir Khusanov across and redeploy either Nico O'Reilly or Guehi into the back four.
