Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has urged fans to be patient with summer signing Tuncay Sanli.

The former Middlesbrough attacker is yet to make an impression since his £5 million arrival, but Coates told The Sentinel: "These things take time. The manager knows what he is doing and will use him as he thinks best. It is often 12 months before players make their presence felt.

"There's nothing new in that and it is not a Stoke City thing, It is a football thing.

"If you look at Arsene Wenger, one of his qualities is he takes his time with players. We all know what a great manager he is. He might moan a lot, but no one doubts his managerial skills because he has a fantastic record.

"He is very good at bringing players along, using them at the right time and knowing when they need to settle in.

"Our manager is no different. He knows he has a good player who is an asset to us. I think, given time, we shall see the benefit."