ANDONI Iraola believes Enes Unal’s “mentality” and “physicality” will be well suited to the Premier League, adding: “I am sure he will help us straightaway.”
Cherries added the new striker to their ranks on deadline day, snapping up Unal on an initial loan deal, which is set to be come permanent in the summer, for a fee of around £14million.
Unal, who scored 36 goals in 109 appearances for Getafe, has recently returned from a serious knee injury.
The 26-year-old international earlier in his career scored goals in Belgium, Netherlands and his homeland of Turkey, before moving to La Liga.
Unal also had a stint at Manchester City as a teenager, although never made it into the first team.
Asked what he feels Unal will bring to Cherries, Iraola told the Daily Echo: “I think it is going to be a good addition.
“It is someone probably different from Dom (Solanke) especially. He is a proven goalscorer in La Liga. He has been successful there.
“It is true he comes from an ACL, but he has already played some games with Getafe and I am sure he will help us straightaway.”
Of Unal’s 14 league goals last season, one came against Iraola’s Rayo Vallecano, where he charged down goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski’s clearance in a 1-1 draw.
Discussing the pair’s meetings in Spain, Iraola said: “I know him. I have played against him and it is true he scored.
“He was lucky, because it was a keeper’s mistake!
“But he is someone who can make these kind of plays.
“I also think his mentality and his physicality adapts really well to the Premier League.
“He also speaks the language, he has had some experience in Manchester City when he was younger and all these things I think will help him in this adaptation process that for sure he will have.”
From the outside, the move came about quite quickly with Unal not a name linked with Cherries until deadline day.
Cherries got the move completed, which allowed Kieffer Moore to head out on loan to Ipswich Town.
Asked if Unal had been on Cherries’ radar for a long time, Iraola said: “It has been a good chance for us for the moment.
“There is obviously a part of it where he is not 100 per cent fit still, because normally with ACLs, it is one thing to get onto the pitch to play some minutes, but he still knows he has to continue his rehabilitation until he gets to 100 per cent.
“But in the meantime, he will help us also.
“I am sure whenever the visa process and everything finishes and he can be here, he will be ready to train and to help the team from day one.”
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