Confirmation of Gustavo Scarpa’s arrival Trentside has generated a frisson of excitement among Nottingham Forest fans.
The attacking midfielder putting pen to paper had been the worst-kept secret - not least because the man himself had freely spoken about it on numerous occasions to Brazilian media. Such a lengthy build-up only added to the sense of anticipation, with plenty of time for viewing of YouTube clips and reading about Scarpa’s skateboarding antics, as well as his sparkling form for Palmeiras.
He is certainly a character. He clearly has talent, too.
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His stats for his former club, where he played a key role in their Brazilian Serie A title success and won the division’s Golden Ball award last month, show what he is capable of. And it hasn’t taken him long to make an impression at Forest.
A midweek friendly against Atromitos took place behind closed doors, so it is difficult to really judge how he did. But that he weighed in with two assists suggests he was at the heart of the action.
Translating that into form in the Premier League isn’t necessarily easy. Performances in friendlies aren’t always the best barometer for how a player will settle, and - as the Reds know only too well - predicting with any certainty how a newcomer will adapt to English football, as well as to a new country - is nigh-on impossible.
Head coach Steve Cooper has generally been pretty cautious when it comes to blooding in signings who have joined from abroad. He has tried to judge when the time is right, rather than throw them straight in at the deep end.
It is likely to be the same for Scarpa. He also has the added challenge of trying to force his way into a side which had started to build some momentum before the break, with Cooper already having a headache of how to fit Morgan Gibbs-White, Jesse Lingard and Brennan Johnson into the team.
Even if his breakthrough doesn’t come immediately, though, Scarpa still looks like being someone who can make a difference once he does find his feet. He is someone who can get fans off their seats and who can make things happen - a useful asset for a Forest team which can still improve at the top end of the pitch.
As a free transfer, the 28-year-old is a low-risk addition. The Reds have acted quickly to steal a march on other suitors, given he was starting to catch plenty of eyes with his displays for Palmeiras.
Coming to the Premier League has been a long-held ambition for him. His enthusiasm and bubbly personality already comes across loud and clear.
"I'm very happy to be here, it's a dream for me," he said after signing. It's always been an ambition since I was a little kid to play in Europe, and my dream is to play in the Premier League.”
If he lives up to his potential, Forest could well have a gem on their hands. And while the January window will not be anywhere near as busy as the summer one was, confirmation that Scarpa will officially join on January 1, once his previous contract has run out, gets the window off to a good start.
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