1 week Ago By [email protected] (Barry Cooper)
Hull City's on loan midfielder Gustavo Puerta has opened up on the possibility of him moving to a new club in the summer, despite the Colombian being set to sign a permanent deal at the MKM Stadium. Puerta is on the cusp of seeing his season-long move from reigning German champions Bayer Leverkusen being made permanent under the terms of the deal agreed between the two clubs last summer. Although the youngster missed Tuesday night's 1-0 defeat at Watford with illness, it's hoped he'll be back to face Coventry City on Monday night.
City will be obligated to pay around £3m to sign the Colombian , with that deal expected to be concluded before the end of April with the 21-year-old's appearance clause to be met. Once that happens, the Tigers could look to cash in on the talented performer with Puerta suggesting he would be open to seeking a move elsewhere in later this year. "The year I was at Leverkusen was very good for me," Puerta said in an interview with AS .
"I learned a lot from my teammates, the coach (Xabi Alonso), and from highly recognised people worldwide, with a wealth of experience. Moving from the Colombian second division to a team like Leverkusen, with so many internationally recognised players, took you by surprise at first, but little by little, I learned. The coach taught me a lot tactically, always playing forward; he was very demanding when it came to passing because he had a perfect pass.
I learned a lot from him. Now in England, I'm doing a good job and I hope to continue doing so. “They're two different worlds.
I was in my country with my family, my friends, and the food, and I arrived in a country with different people, climate, and food. That's the hardest part for South Americans, but it's all about the mind and the desire to succeed. Those things take a backseat, and you focus on working and doing things well.
” “I've already completed years in Europe. The adaptation has been progressively better. I can now say that I'm adapting to the food, the people, and the European culture; that's the hardest part of feeling better on the pitch.
I'll keep working and hope to move to a bigger club next season to continue demonstrating my quality. “The Championship might be the sixth toughest league. It's very competitive, every game is tough, it's a physical league with little space to play, there's constant pressure, and no chance to pace or think too much.
This league demands a lot from the start. I've adapted very well. I now have a Spanish manager (Ruben Selles), and it's been good for me in terms of communication, and my performance has improved.
"Here, if you don't demonstrate in training, if you don't give your best every day, they'll steal your spot. There's no chance of one good game and the next not, because there are players trying to take your place. The competition is too high.
Puerta, who has played for the Colombian Under-21 side, hopes his form for City will be enough to see him called up to the senior squad by Nestor Lorenzo ahead of next summer's World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. "I've been doing a good job and I'm ready for when the opportunity comes," he explained. "I don't have much contact with the coaches, but they do keep an eye on me.
There's someone in charge of the players and they ask me how I'm doing after games; that's important to me. I feel like they take me into account and are paying attention to what I'm doing.” Did you know that you can get daily Tigers news sent straight to your device as soon as it happens through WhatsApp? It's quick and easy to join.
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