Chris Powell says Joe Lolley will have an important role to play as Huddersfield Town push forward.
Sixteen months on from his £350,000 move from Kidderminster Harriers, the frontman has made 25 appearances and scored four goals.
Four of his outings have been starts, the last of them in the abandoned final-day game at Blackpool.
And the 22-year-old scored his first home goal in the previous match to salvage a 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers.
“Joe has a real natural talent, and is developing all the time,” said Chris Powell of the former university student, who joined Conference side Kidderminster two years ago after playing for Midlands minnows Littleton.
“But you have to remember how fast he rose through the levels, and that he only had half a season at Kidderminster before coming here.
“He has no backlog of games and development. What he does have is pace and natural talent and we have to show him the ways of being a professional.
“He is learning how to be a full-time footballer, buying into what I want and how to be a day-to-day professional.
“I want to get more minutes into him, but the circumstances have to be right.
“Hopefully we will reap the benefit long term, and he is a player I like a lot.
“I can see why so many clubs wanted him and I am glad we won the race.
“We will look after him and get him to a position where he can lend his undoubted quality to the team.
“I believe if we nurture him properly, we will see him grow into a good player, one who is very important for this club.”
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