Manchester City boss Mark Hughes wants Danny Sturridge to rise to the challenge of earning a place in his big-name team.
"If you are the sort of footballer who is discouraged by a challenge, then maybe you shouldn't be here in the first place," he said. "The thought of good players coming to the club should get [Sturridge] stimulated by the challenge."
The teenager already appears to have taken that on board.
"I believe I can step up to the plate," he said. "Playing around players like Robinho, you can only get better so it's a great challenge for me. I want to work on every area of my game because you can never be a complete player, never stop learning. It's important for me to act like a sponge with the other players around me and the manager, too."