Bazoumana Toure has endured a difficult opening to his Newcastle United career following his move to the club in the summer transfer window.
The winger arrived at St James’ Park from German Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in a deal reported to be worth £43million but has yet to feature from the start in a Premier League fixture this season.
The 20-year-old Ivory Coast international has been restricted to limited minutes, with his sole start coming in a 3-2 Carabao Cup victory over West Bromwich Albion, a match in which he found the net.
He also came off the bench to score in a 4-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road the previous month.
Despite the modest beginnings, former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue believes the player’s blend of speed and technical quality will translate into significant attacking output for Newcastle across the campaign.
Eboue, who is also from Ivory Coast, has framed his relationship with the winger as that of an older brother figure.
Eboue described Toure as quick, technically accomplished and capable of both scoring and creating goals.
The former full-back outlined his assessment of the player’s attributes, highlighting his pace and ability to contribute directly in the final third.
Prior to his move to the Premier League, Toure spent time on loan at Swedish Allsvenskan outfit Hammarby, where he registered nine goals and three assists the season before his transfer.
His immediate task is to challenge Newcastle’s in-form left winger Harvey Barnes for a place in the starting line-up.
Toure’s head coach has also addressed the player’s integration, noting that the winger joined as a new signing and has been handling the transition well.
The coach referenced another squad member by the abbreviation AB as part of the same context, indicating a broader point about new arrivals settling into the squad.