West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster believes on loan Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku will be ready to make "a big impact" when he eventually returns to Stamford Bridge.
The 19-year-old has already indicated he would like to remain at Albion for a second season and has impressed Foster with his desire and hunger to learn.
Foster said: "This last month, it's like the penny's dropped with Rom and he has been superb.
"It was probably the inexperience, about getting used to playing Premier League football week in and week out, knowing what you are going to be coming up against, knowing your role as a striker.
"He's found that. He uses his strength to hold players off and he's starting to get into the box to get on the end of things. He's got everything.
"He will be ready for Chelsea when he goes back, without doubt, whether that is next season or whenever.
"Chelsea paid so much money for him, and they know what they've got now, and I'm sure they're very happy with him.
"But Rom just looks settled and enjoying his football so I don't see any reason why he wouldn't want to come back here."
Foster is relieved Chelsea opted not to recall Lukaku during the current transfer window.
He said: "I started hearing a few whispers that there was a possibility of it happening especially with the way Chelsea were going and with Torres misfiring.
"It screamed out for him to go back. I think it would have been a huge loss for us. We would have been gutted to lose him.
"He is not only a good asset on the pitch. He is such a good lad to have around the place. He's very level-headed, has no ego to him and is always the last one off the training pitch."
Foster has warned Villa of the potential pitfalls of chasing cup glory when battling to survive in the Barclays Premier League.
Foster was part of the Birmingham team which won the League Cup two years ago but admits the experience left the squad drained and they were relegated at the end of that season.
Now Villa are just one step away from reaching the 2012-2013 final and are also embroiled in a fight to stay up.
Foster said: "The Carling Cup win took everything out of us at Blues. It was a huge drain on everyone.
"The next two, three, four matches after that final we were awful. We were as bad as I've seen us. It kind of snowballed from there.
"I remember saying if we get relegated, we only have ourselves to blame because we only needed four or five points to see us safe and it never happened.
"People are saying Villa are in a similar position now but I still don't think they will change their tact.
"If they have a chance to win a first major trophy in a long while for the fans, they still wouldn't change it."
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