Bolton Wanderers boss Owen Coyle is ready to play Chung-Yong Lee only in the big games for the remainder of the season.
The South Korean midfielder has not had a break from football for more than two years, leading to fears of burn-out. So Trotters boss Coyle will pick and choose which matches Lee, 22, plays in so he can be fit for the FA Cup semi-final with Stoke and the final if they get through.
Lee, signed from FC Seoul in August 2009, has made 26 outings this term.
And Coyle said: "Chung-Yong Lee is an outstanding young player.
"As he progresses, he could go on and play for any team in the country - he's that good. But I can't keep asking him to start games and burn him out because we will lose all his quality by the end of the season.
"We have to be very careful - he has such a big part to play."
