Pablo recommends Norwich - so Juan signs

NORWICH City new boy Juan Velasco has revealed how he was recommended to try his luck with the Canaries - by an Ipswich player.

NORWICH City new boy Juan Velasco has revealed how he was recommended to try his luck with the Canaries - by an Ipswich player.

Velasco spoke to Town's Spanish midfielder Pablo Counago before deciding to head to Norfolk a fortnight ago to try his luck in England.

And after a two-week trial the 30-year-old right back has signed a deal to the end of the season, thanks to his countryman.

“I spoke with Pablo before I came,” said Velasco, a former team-mate of Liverpool star Fernando Torres during his time at Atletico Madrid. “Pablo recommended Norwich to me. He said it was a top club and a nice city to live in, so he gave it his full recommendation.”

Velasco was signed as a free agent after almost 300 games in La Liga with Sevilla, Celta Vigo, Atletico and, most recently, Espanyol, from where he was released last year.

Counago also helped him decide to sample English football.

He said: “After finishing last season my intention was to leave Spain to play football elsewhere. I was attracted to the English game because it's a high standard of football.

“The game in England I think is more physical, certainly less tactical than it is in Spain, but I'm looking afford to it.”

“It's a nice game, a passionate game, the atmosphere of the fans in the stadiums, all of that.

“Also the language, not only for myself but for my family too. It's important for my children to learn English.”

With his La Liga games as well as four caps for Spain, Velasco doesn't lack experience and, with Matthew Bates forced back to Middlesbrough after suffering another knee injury, he reckons he has plenty to offer Norwich.

Velasco goes straight into the reckoning for tomorrow's game against Barnsley at Carrow Road.