Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton hopes that the arrival of club record signing Jurgen Locaida can be a catalyst for the latter half of the Premier League campaign for his team.
The Seagulls boss hopes the Dutch striker, who has netted nine times in 15 matches in the Dutch top flight this season, can offer something different to the side in attacking positions.
He said, “We brought him in because we have found it difficult to get goals and we’re not a team who has ability in the central positions to really stretch teams.
“Glenn and Tomer are classic number nines and what Jurgen will give us is the ability to stretch teams.
“He’ll take a few weeks to get up to fitness, but he’s been in good form this season and what we hope is that he can take some of that good form into this division with ourselves between now and the end of the campaign.
The arrival of the forward signals the second recruit from the Eredivise so far since Albion won promotion to the top flight.
The boss was keen to highlight the fact that any player coming into the Premier League from abroad may take some time to adjust to their new surroundings and the division.
“The adaptation factor when you bring in a layer from abroad applies to everyone.
“We brought in Davy [Propper] at the start of the season from the same club and he’s done very well – his levels of performance have been good.
“But these are always the questions, we want him to provide us with the platform to score goals and stretch sides, as well as showing the form he has already been in this season.”
Albion’s search for another striker since the summer window has been well documented, and Hughton pointed to the quality in England’s top division.
“This is the hardest division there is, with some wonderful teams and good defences, but we hope he can make a difference.
“He was someone we looked at in the summer and someone we thought about – it didn’t quite happen then.
“We have spoken to Davy about him over the last few months and he knows the form he’s been in at PSV.
“We’re trying [to do more transfer business] but it is more difficult in this January window and that’s why up until now at this level, not much business has been done.”