Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills has suggested that summer signing Eddie Nketiah is “rusty” and will need a few weeks to get up to speed.

Nketiah scored his first goal for the club in his debut against Salford City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, tapping in a Helder Costa cross just before half-time.

The 20-year-old striker joined the club on loan from Arsenal on transfer deadline day, as a replacement for Kemar Roofe.

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills suggested he was impressed by Nketiah’s debut performance but that he thought it would take him a few weeks to get up to speed at the Championship club.

He said: “He had to be in the right place at the right time to tap his goal home but apart from that, I agree with what Marcelo Bielsa said during the week. He did look a little bit rusty at times.

“Once or twice his touch was a little bit heavy, Bielsa said it will take a couple of weeks to get up to the speed and intensity and the way Leeds want to play.

“I thought that was a little bit strange when Bielsa said, bearing in mind he’s come from Arsenal, playing in pre-season and playing pretty well.

“Having seen him, I can see why Bielsa would say that. Just at times there were moments you’re thinking a player who’s been at a Premier League side, his touch was that little bit heavy but I’m sure that’ll come.”

Leeds face Wigan Athletic in their third Championship fixture of the season on Saturday.

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The Verdict

Mills is right with his assessment of the forward, he put in an impressive debut performance at Moor Lane but it makes sense for Bielsa to manage his involvement and get him up to speed.

It is completely understandable that the 20-year-old, who has never had a regular run of starts in senior football, will need time to get up to speed, especially as Leeds play a particularly intense and physically demanding style of football under Bielsa.

The Argentine coach said earlier in the season that “the player who is in the better condition is going to play every game”, so with Nketiah only arriving on deadline day it may be a little while before we see him start.