Birmingham City boss John Eustace has called for patience with Krystian Bielik as he confirmed the defensive midfielder will need time before he is considered for the first-team.

The Polish international returned to Blues on loan from Derby County, in a deal that was seen as a real coup for the Championship side.

However, Bielik, who has had terrible luck with injuries in the past, hadn't featured in pre-season for the Rams after suffering a knock with his national team earlier this summer.

And, speaking to Birmingham Live, Eustace explained that the new recruit is going to build up his fitness before he is involved in the league.

"I think he is a top, top player, one of the best midfielders in the league. We know that he is coming in and is not fully fit at the moment. Hopefully he will be joining the group in a couple of weeks. If we can keep Krystian fit, which I am sure we will, it’s a top, top player who wanted to come to Birmingham City.

"We were delighted with that, he is only going to help the squad. There’s no rush, he has only just started back on the grass. When he is ready, he will be ready."

The verdict

It was obvious that Bielik was going to need time to get up to speed as he has had a disrupted pre-season, so this won't come as a surprise.

Given his injury history, Blues are not going to take any chances with the former Arsenal man and that's the right approach.

We know how tough this league is, and Bielik is sure to have a big role to play for Blues down the line because, as Eustace says, he is a top quality player.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.