Wenger believes in Beast
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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has assured fans that new signing Julio Baptista will live up to his star billing this season.
Arsenal attacking midfielder Baptista, on loan from Real Madrid with a view to a permanent deal, has been restricted to cameo appearances so far this season.
And supporters have speculated he is yet another out-of-shape Brazilian.
His countryman Adriano was left out by Inter Milan this season for being overweight and Ronaldo looked to have piled on more than a few pounds at the World Cup.
Wenger will again leave Baptista, known as The Beast, on the bench for tonight's Champions League clash against Porto at the Emirates Stadium.
But the Frenchman insists Baptista, 25 this Sunday, is not out of condition - he has just not settled in to the speed of the English game.
Wenger admitted: "He has yet to adapt. It is more adaptation to the pace of the game and the movement here.
"Intelligence-wise he has no problem, quality-wise he is a big player. It is just adaptation. Some players take more, some take less.
"When you see his body he does not have fat at all but he is massive, he is like a boxer. He is muscular and is in the gym everyday.
"He looks after himself and takes care of his body. He is not overweight it is just the way it is."
Wenger still has high hopes for Baptista, a player he had tried to sign for a year, and is convinced he will come good.
The Frenchman added: "Once he is on a run nobody can stop him because he has that penetrative power.
"And he is a killer in front of goal. For me he is a central player but when he was at Real they had a congestion of players who could play central.
"But whatever they say about him at Real Madrid he scored seven goals having started 15 games. His scoring record is fairly impressive."
Arsenal attacking midfielder Baptista, on loan from Real Madrid with a view to a permanent deal, has been restricted to cameo appearances so far this season.
And supporters have speculated he is yet another out-of-shape Brazilian.
His countryman Adriano was left out by Inter Milan this season for being overweight and Ronaldo looked to have piled on more than a few pounds at the World Cup.
Wenger will again leave Baptista, known as The Beast, on the bench for tonight's Champions League clash against Porto at the Emirates Stadium.
But the Frenchman insists Baptista, 25 this Sunday, is not out of condition - he has just not settled in to the speed of the English game.
Wenger admitted: "He has yet to adapt. It is more adaptation to the pace of the game and the movement here.
"Intelligence-wise he has no problem, quality-wise he is a big player. It is just adaptation. Some players take more, some take less.
"When you see his body he does not have fat at all but he is massive, he is like a boxer. He is muscular and is in the gym everyday.
"He looks after himself and takes care of his body. He is not overweight it is just the way it is."
Wenger still has high hopes for Baptista, a player he had tried to sign for a year, and is convinced he will come good.
The Frenchman added: "Once he is on a run nobody can stop him because he has that penetrative power.
"And he is a killer in front of goal. For me he is a central player but when he was at Real they had a congestion of players who could play central.
"But whatever they say about him at Real Madrid he scored seven goals having started 15 games. His scoring record is fairly impressive."
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