Swansea City manager Paul Clement has backed the club’s record signing, Borja Bastón, to still make an impact for the side.
Bastón has not started a league game since the defeat against West Ham United on Boxing Day.
Nevertheless, Clement has faith in Swansea’s most expensive ever addition - at £15 million - as he prepares to be without top-scorer Fernando Llorente for Wednesday's clash with Tottenham Hotspur.
Spanish striker Bastón has started only four league matches since joining from Atletico Madrid last summer and has had in total only 39 minutes of Premier League action since the new coach was appointed in January.
Clement named Jordan Ayew in his line-up over Borja in the goalless draw with Middlesbrough at the weekend.
Clement confident in Bastón's ability
With Llorente out due to an ankle injury, the coach insists he trusts Bastón to make a real impact and to deliver in his absence.
He said: "I have faith in Borja. If I didn't, I wouldn’t even put him on the bench. I've put him on the bench because in a given moment he can have an impact."
He also said that his job as a coach is to decide who is going to have the bigger impact, whether that be those on the pitch or those coming on from the bench.
He continued by saying that both Bastón and Oliver McBurnie have trained well and that they need to be ready when they are called upon.
Why did Clement not make any subs against Middlesbrough?
The former Chelsea assistant coach also defended his decision not to make any changes as the Swans drew against Steve Agnew's side, who have not won a league game since December 17.
The result leaves the Welsh club one place and one point above the relegation zone with eight games left to play.
"At half-time, we spoke about what we could do and we were always talking and thinking about potential changes," Clement added.
"That went on all the way through the second half until the final five minutes, and I was close to doing something."
He then went on to say that based on what he saw, Swansea were tight enough at the back and were creating good chances in the right areas.
Clement also said that he feels comfortable in the decisions that he made.
Borja Bastón’s next possible game could be against Spurs on Wednesday, 5th April at the Liberty Stadium at 19:45.