Leeds United head coach Thomas Christiansen says there is more to come from Samuel Saiz after the new signing scored a hat-trick on his debut.
Saiz lit up the Carabao Cup first round tie as he became the first Leeds player since Carl Shutt in 1989 to score a hat-trick on his debut to help looks book their place in the second round with a 4-1 win against Port Vale.
The Spanish midfielder, who joined the club this summer from Huesca, was named amongst the substitutes in the weekend win against Bolton Wanderers but he was one of nine changes made by Christiansen for the Carabao Cup tie.
The much-changed side impressed during the win giving Christiansen a huge selection headache for the clash with Preston North End this weekend.
Saiz took all the plaudits for his debut hat-trick but Christiansen feels the 26-year-old will need time to settle and his performance against Port Vale is just a taste of what he will do for Leeds this season.
“It`s obvious that the three goals of Samu were important in our win,” Christiansen told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“He`s a player who needs time.
“We know what he`s able to give and this is a small taste of what he`s able to do. He`s a player who enjoys being with the ball. You see it. If we have possession and move the ball, he has the quality and he`s intelligent with a good finish.
“I`m very pleased with his performance but it`s not a one day show. It should be a one-season show.”
Saiz opened the scoring on 12 minutes, when he controlled a Stuart Dallas cross that had arrived at him off the inside of the post, and he smashed the ball home.
His second came on the hour when he latched onto a Ronaldo Vieira pass and his first touch took him round the Port Vale goalkeeper and he stroked the ball into an empty net.
Saiz completed his hat-trick three minutes later when he latched onto a clever pass from Caleb Ekuban before smashing the ball into the roof of the net.
Ekuban also enjoyed his debut with the striker adding Leeds fourth goal in the final ten minutes.
Leeds will find out their second round opponents when the draw is made on Sky Sports this evening following the conclusion of the game between Bury and Sunderland.
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