'I'm excited': Why Portsmouth boss is convinced Paraguay under-23 international will be Championship force
The 24-year-old right winger has joined Pompey on loan for the remainder of the season
John Mousinho reflected on finally capturing long-time Pompey target Gustavo Caballero and admitted: I’m excited.
The Blues were beaten to the Paraguayan under-23 international last summer, with Brazilian giants Santos instead winning the race to sign the Nacional Asuncion winger.
Now the Blues have got their man, recruiting the 24-year-old on transfer deadline day in a loan deal with the option for a permanent transfer.
Caballero has spent the week training with his new team mates, although is awaiting international clearance before he can be considered for an eagerly-anticipated debut at Preston on Saturday.
Regardless, Mousinho is convinced the right winger can adjust to the Championship and prove to be an attacking force.
‘It’s a profile we’ve been trying to get right for a while’
He told The News: ‘Gustavo has trained, he’s been in the building since Monday, so that was one we were on top of early. If we get international clearance, he’ll be involved at Preston.
‘He’s a really exciting right winger, pacy, direct and carries the ball well. His last season at Paraguay was a break-out season, hence Santos bought him last summer and he's scored a lot of goals. It’s a profile we’ve been trying to get right for a while.
‘Gustavo’s played on the left a bit this season, but we think his post position is on the right, that’s where he’s played a lot for Nacional Asuncion and Paraguay.
‘He will be all right coming into the Championship. There’s always going to be a little period of adjustment, but he is coming from an intense league.
‘It probably would have been slightly different had he come directly from Paraguay, but going to Brazil first, playing in an intense league, playing for one of the biggest clubs in the country, under that scrutiny every week and also with the pace of the game over there, I think he’ll be fine.
‘We have to take things into consideration, though. You come over, the weather’s different, the accommodation's different, simple things like jet leg, but, once he has got over that, once he’s got over the physical aspects of the game, we need to make sure we have that smooth transition - and I think he’ll be absolutely fine.
‘Yes I’m excited, he’s definitely the type of player who should get us excited.’
Awaiting international clearance for Preston trip
While Caballero is awaiting international clearance, another deadline day arrival, Madiodio Dia, definitely won’t be involved in the Deepdale clash.
The Senegal centre-half, reportedly recruited from FK Haugesund for £600,000, has been waiting on a work visa and is expected to train with his team-mates for the first time on Friday.
Striker Jacob Brown, however, is in the frame to be involved for the trip to Preston, who themselves could hand a debut to a familiar face - Callum Lang.
Still, Mousinho and the travelling Fratton faithful are clearly looking forward to seeing the Paraguayan winger in action for the first time in a Blues shirt.
‘Maybe take a bit more of a risk’
Pompey’s head coach added: ‘We tried to sign him in the summer, I don’t think we got that close because of the rival club (Santos).
‘We wanted to maybe take a bit more of a risk on that right-hand side, we’ve got ourselves into a position where, in terms of the players we have in the building, we wanted to maybe go out and get something else.
‘Obviously he’s someone who needs to adjust to the level, adjust to the language, the country, all these sorts of things. But he’s an exciting player at the top of his game - and we need to get him there.’