"To be fair, he has worked ever so hard and has got five or six goals against his name in the reserves for us. "But I still think at the moment that it's a little bit too early for him as regards the first team. I will decide over the forthcoming weeks. "One thing about Luciano, and I've spoken to him via his dad and through an interpreter, is that's he's here for four years. "But I have faith in him. He had an outstanding goals record in his own country and he recently broke into the Argentine squad. "But it's like if an Englishman went to play in Argentina. It would take time for him to settle in."
The Argentinian striker, a £2.5 million signing from Rosario Central in July, has been banging the goals in for the Blues second string but Bruce has told the striker to be patient after reports claiming that he was unhappy at not being given a first team start.
"I always said when Luciano came over here that it was going to be a bit difficult for him, that he was going to have to be a bit patient because he was going to find it very strange," Bruce told the Press Association.
"He's got to be patient," added the Blues boss. "When he eventually gets his opportunity he has got to make sure that he takes it.
Figueroa urged to bide time
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