Bruno Lage has told Fabio Silva to wait for his chance at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Silva - who joined Wolves for a club record £35million fee last year - has only played 36 minutes of Premier League football this season under Lage.
The new Wolves boss has opted for Raul Jimenez, with a supporting cast of Hwang Hee-chan, Francisco Trincao, Adama Traore and Daniel Podence preferred to Silva.
Lage also hooked Silva at half-time in Wolves’ Carabao Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur in September.
The 19-year-old - dubbed a 'generational talent' by chairman Jeff Shi - has been an unused substitute in Wolves’ last three games, despite the club’s ongoing injury crisis providing Lage with limited options off the bench.
“Fabio is important for us,” Lage said. “He’s a young talent. Me and my staff have a pathway for the youth. Luis (Nascimento) worked with Fabio before so we see potential in him.
“He needs to continue to work and wait for that chance. He needs to work for today and work for tomorrow.
“He’s doing well and we are happy with him, but sometimes I prefer to take different solutions to protect the result.”
Lage has previously dismissed suggestions that Wolves could loan Silva out in January to allow him to rack up minutes elsewhere.
When quizzed again on a possible loan move for Silva, Lage remained tight-lipped, before explaining what he wants from his young compatriot.
Lage added: “I want players with ambition to play, but the young guys, on top of this, need to work hard every day to improve.
“It’s very hard to come and work but not play. Sometimes people say, ‘How can he show something if he’s not playing?’ He needs to show something to me, as do all the other younger guys.
“In the beginning we were talking about Rayan (Ait-Nouri). Marcal is out, Rayan is in and now he’s doing well. That’s the thing. Work, work, work, so when the chance arrives you are ready to play at the right tempo.”
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