Unai Emery says that Tottenham loanee Giovani lo Celso has been amazed by the rhythm of the Premier League just as his Arsenal contemporary Dani Ceballos has.
Both Lo Celso and Ceballos have struggled to fulfill the high expectations that came with their arrival on loan from La Liga, Real Betis and Real Madrid respectively, with the former suffering from a hip injury that sidelined him from the start of September until late last month.
Lo Celso's final game for Spurs before suffering that injury was the north London derby, after which he reflected on the challenging new environment of the Premier League with Emery, who had managed him at Paris Saint-Germain.
"Here, every team is very strong, above all defensively, above all physically, and also the rhythm," Emery said. "Ceballos said to us, when we played in Liverpool, the rhythm was impressive, was amazing, and was difficult for the adaptation.
"Giovani lo Celso, when we played against Tottenham, also said to me, that rhythm is amazing, for the adaptation it's not easy."
Lo Celso and Ceballos are not the only players who have made a slower start to life in England than they might have liked.
Nicolas Pepe is still awaiting his first goal from open play since his club record £72million move but there have been signs of improvement in recent weeks, none more so than his two free-kicks to win a Europa League group stage game against Vitoria.
Emery sees no cause for concern in Pepe's slow start even though he admits it might take a year before Arsenal see the best of the former Lille winger.
"Some [players], when the arrive in the Premier League, their adaptation is done very quickly, and others need more time. Nicolas Pepe, we know, he's in a process to improve, he's in a process of adaptation.
"I am asking him, 'How are you here? How are your family here, living in London?' And then he's doing a step ahead in his adaptation, to achieve his performance I think, little by little, getting better, and now I think he's in that process: I speak with him, I protect him, I support him, I help him, and the team also supports and helps him.
"And then is that process [made] to be as quick as possible. Sometimes this process is a few months, sometimes more, sometimes one year. I was speaking with coaches and some people at the club, and the first year from Lacazette also was that process of getting better and now he is very adapted here in the Premier League."
