ONE of Newcastle United’s most expensive and exciting signings of the summer could find himself given some time out of the firing line while he adjusts to life in the Premier League.

Florian Thauvin, who was replaced by Kevin Mbabu after 45 woeful minutes of Wednesday night’s defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, has found it difficult to settle in to what McClaren is trying to get the Magpies doing in the opening seven weeks of the season.

And the £14m buy from Marseille, who was perceived to be one of France’s most talented prospects not too long ago, is unlikely to figure in the starting line-up when Chelsea travel to St James’ Park this evening.

McClaren, without revealing his selection plans, did indicate that he is determined to get Thauvin to the level chief scout Graham Carr feels he can hit; knowing Newcastle are in desperate need of greater creativity in the final third.

“Thauvin's one of those players who wants to be involved in the game all the time and so ideal for what we want to do,” said McClaren. “It's going to take him time to adapt and that's the case with all players who have come in.

“I think Chancel Mbemba has come in and adapted very quickly. Aleksandar Mitrovic adapted to the cultures and the red card – so as we say change, coming in, different environment for them. It's not easy. Change is not smooth and you've got to adapt. That's what they have to adapt.”

Mitrovic will be back in the thick of things against Chelsea after serving a three-match suspension, with McClaren keen to see him stay on the pitch longer after showing a tendency to pick up cards from the referee too quickly.

“I think he understands now, 11 men!” joked McClaren. “Put it this way, he’s a real character. We’ve missed him …”

Having been a coach who moved over to Holland and Germany to develop his own skills, he knows how difficult it can be to acclimatise. That is why he feels time is needed for some of his players, but he is also on the look out for greater mental strength after starting with six league games without a win.

"I think the problem - and I don't want to get involved in technical terms - is that you need to be mentally strong, asking players to play football,” said McClaren, who has doubts surrounding the fitness of Jack Colback, Rolando Aarons and Massadio Haidara.

“We have footballers who can do that, we see it every day, we are asking them, trying to change belief as well as that.

“Have belief all the time if you can, have the courage to take the ball all the time and play forward and take risks. Sometimes in that, you can play safe. We want that higher tempo, we want that more forward thinking, more forward running, more forward passes."

But if McClaren’s calling for patience, how long before Newcastle will start to tick?

He said: “I wouldn’t put any timescale on it, I think that’s impossible to do. Some things are practice and practice and then, phew, one day you can play the piano.”