Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has admitted that January signing Ignacio Scocco is struggling to adapt to the Premier League.
The Argentine striker has made just four appearances for the Black Cats since he joined the club from Internacional at the start of the year.
Despite Scocco's failure to make an impact at the Stadium of Light, Poyet is confident that he will improve as time goes on.
"I think the situation with Nacho is more difficult than what we expected," he is quoted as saying by Sky Sports News.
"When you are a foreigner and you come to a new country, you know that it might take a few weeks or months to adapt. We are all different.
"The quality is there. You see it every day and he is coming every now and then with a goal from nothing and people realise. Maybe he needs a goal too and then everything will change."
Sunderland return to Premier League action on Saturday when they entertain fellow strugglers Norwich City.
Jack Prescott
