Eusebio Bancessi close to Wolves debut

Kenny Jackett today declared Wolves 'find' Eusebio Bancessi is edging closer to a first-team debut.

The powerfully-built Portuguese winger has made great strides in the Under-21s side, where he's been a regular scorer despite only arriving from Benfica in August.

Bancessi has been an unused substitute in the last two first-team games and scored again in Monday's 3-3 draw away to Blackburn.

And head coach Jackett confirmed the 18-year-old is in his thoughts if he has any concerns over James Henry or Bakary Sako.

"Eusebio is close because Henry and Sako have been injured so it's good to know we've got an 18-year-old winger who can come into my thinking," said Jackett.

"His goals-per-games ratio and what he's done have been very good.

"He's done very well and shown good progress and I really hope it continues because to have people who can score goals like that are good commodities and I feel he has a good future."

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Jackett feels Bancessi, who was born in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, will definitely break through at Wolves and has no concerns of him fitting in.

"Good players make it through one way or another and I'm sure if he came in, he'd know our system and the players know him," he said.

"We'll see how the senior professionals who play in the wide positions go because in an ideal world, I'd want to be as strong as possible."

Jackett is confident the muscular Bancessi won't have any problems coping with the physical side of the game.

"He's genuinely strong and has good power," said the boss. "So far he looks like he can look after himself physically.

"He's been with the first team a lot – he's had a lot of very good experience and been a regular scorer in the Under-21s, which is something you can't ignore.

"You never know how he's going to get on until you put him in, and it would be great for him to play for us between now and the end of the season.

"But really he has to make sure he learns as much as he can this season and then comes back strong next season."

The only concern Jackett has for Bancessi is the language barrier.

"His English is improving - like a lot of foreign players, when you sit and talk to them one-on-one, they're OK," said the boss.

"Perhaps in the hurly-burly of the stadium, it's not so easy to understand people."