Thursday 27 December 2018 16:45, UK
Everton manager Marco Silva believes Yerry Mina and Lucas Digne are beginning to show their quality after a mixed start to life at Goodison Park.
Mina and Digne joined Everton on permanent deals from Barcelona during the summer, while midfielder Andre Gomes also arrived on loan from the Catalan giants.
Mina opened his account for Everton in the 5-1 win over Burnley on Boxing Day, while Digne also scored twice at Turf Moor as the Toffees ended a run of five league games without a win.
Silva insists he never doubted the quality of his summer signings and was particularly impressed with Digne against Burnley.
Silva said: "[He's] a fantastic footballer, a fantastic professional. He always works with a big ambition. He is a big winner, not only in the matches but also in training.
"He came here to work really hard, to improve every day. I knew before we signed him how important he was for us.
"We didn't have doubts about his quality but after we started to work with him we knew him better. He is doing very well, he is settled at the club and now I expect more because he has the quality to improve."
On Mina, Silva added: "It was a very good performance. In his debut he also had a very good game against Chelsea. For a debut in the Premier League he did very well.
"Yesterday he did very well again. It was important to win, to grow his confidence.
"He is a new player in the country, the language is really important - especially for players in specific positions, central defenders and goalkeepers.
"These players I want to be always in command and be in good communication with their team-mates. He is improving in this situation, to speak English as fast as he can.
"It was a really good performance from Yerry."
Cenk Tosun was omitted from the matchday squad for the trip to Turf Moor but Silva insists the former Besiktas striker, who joined the Toffees in a £27m move in January, still has a future at the club.
"Yes, why not?," said Silva. "Cenk was out of the squad but it was not just him. It was part of my decisions for this match and the squad list.
"I decided to go with [Oumar] Niasse. Let's see what I will do tomorrow."
Everton travel to face Brighton on Saturday and Silva is taking nothing for granted against the Seagulls, who held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw on Boxing Day.
He said: "They have only lost against Tottenham and Chelsea [at home]. It is difficult to play there, it will be tough for sure.
"But we go there to play with big ambition to take the three points."