Carlo Ancelotti has described his confidence that new signing Niels Nkounkou will be ready for Everton's first team "soon".
The Blues confirmed their first transfer of the summer on Thursday with the 19-year-old left back arriving from Marseille after his contract with the Ligue 1 side expired.
Nkounkou has signed a three-year-deal and will begin his Blues career with the club's under-23s squad with David Unsworth.
But the defender's ambition will be to break into the first team, and that is something Ancelotti hopes can happen soon.
He told his pre-Spurs press conference: "I think that Nkounkou is a young talent, a left back with a lot of skills and quality.
"Of course he's really young, he has to improve and the plan that we have for him is to work with him and to give him time to be ready for the first team.
"We are sure by signing him that he will be ready for the first team. I don't know how long it will take because he's really young.
"We are working on him and I think soon he will be ready for the first team."
The manager also addressed the future of Jonjoe Kenny.
The right-back's loan with Schalke proved very successful, with the defender quickly making himself a fan favourite with a strong of positive displays.
That position in Everton's squad is still up-in-the-air as things stand, but Ancelotti refused to be drawn on Kenny's future in more detail until this season is over.
"Of course we have had a look at him, we've watched a lot of games," the Italian added.
"To be part of the plan of the future we first have to finish the season, and then after that we will take a decision."
