Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has demanded physical and psychological improvement from Gonzalo Higuain after the Argentine made a sluggish start to life at Stamford Bridge.
Higuain joined on loan from Juventus in January but has scored goals only against Fulham and Huddersfield. Both clubs been relegated from the Premier League with six games and over a month of the season still to play.
Chelsea have an option to buy Higuain in the summer but it remains uncertain due to both his form and the club's possible transfer ban, which will face a judgement at the Court of Arbitration for Sport this month.
Chelsea have the option to extend his loan by a further year for €18m (£15.5m) or sign him outright for €36m (£31m).
While Higuain toils, back-up striker Olivier Giroud has scored eight goals in his last ten appearances for club and country.
Higuain remains likely to start, however, when Chelsea host West Ham on Monday evening and Sarri has urged him to follow the example of Luis Suarez to thrive in England.
Sarri said of Higuain: 'He has to improve physically and mentally. He is able to be very useful during the last part of the season. It is not easy in the first months to play in the Premier League.
'It was a problem for Luis Suarez at Liverpool in his first season. He scored four goals [after signing in January] and then 24 in his first full season.
'He needs time to improve his physical condition and to be suitable for the Premier League. He is able to do it. We have Giroud and he is in very good mental and physical condition. We need both.'
Asked whether he would like to keep Higuain at Chelsea next season, Sarri said: 'Yes, of course, but it depends on the club and Juventus. It is not clear the situation.'