MICHU does not speak English

MICHU does not speak English and he has never played outside Spain before.

And the Premier League, so the experts often remind us, is an unforgiving place for a foreign player who is trying to settle in a new country, never mind at a new club.

As he marked two goals with identical celebrations at Queens Park Rangers last Saturday, Michu did not look like a man struggling to acclimatise.

The weather was more Madrid than Maidenhead in the South East over the weekend and Michu made hay as the sun shone on Michael Laudrup's new-look Swansea City side.

"You can never know how new players will do and it's still early after only one game," Laudrup says. "But what I can say about Michu, plus Chico (Flores) and Jonathan (de Guzman), is that they fit in with the mentality of this team."

Laudrup believes his new recruits already understand what it means to play for a club like Swansea.

In truth the trio probably knew very little between them about the team from SA1 not so long ago.

But Laudrup reckons they have very quickly made themselves at home because they are used to playing for less celebrated clubs.

Michu has come from Rayo Vallecano, an unfancied side from the outskirts of the Spanish capital, while Flores and de Guzman both played for Laudrup at Real Mallorca, another of La Liga's lesser teams.

"These players don't come from Barcelona or Real Madrid," adds Laudrup.

"They know how to fight. They come from smaller clubs who have the same mentality as Swansea.

"Sometimes you can bring in talented players but they need six, seven or eight months to fit into the style, culture and the city.

"We don't have that time, so it was important to get players with the right mentality."

Laudrup will not only shop in the transfer market's less glamorous stalls.

He is hoping, after all, to sign a player from Valencia and another from Celtic in the next few days.

Swansea's squad promises to feature a very colourful mix by the time the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

And from the evidence seen so far, the new faces boast the ability to have a considerable impact this season.

Michu was the star of the show at Loftus Road last weekend, scoring twice, hitting the bar and having a hand in two more goals.

"He gives us a lot," reckons Laudrup. "When we have the ball he is a second striker, when the opposition have the ball he is the third midfielder.

"It's a very important position for us.

"Sometimes, for 15 or 20 minutes in the first half at Queens Park Rangers, we got a little too deep and Michu was too far from Danny (Graham). We had some problems at that point.

"But every day Michu is getting better and he will get better from now."

Laudrup admits he is still finding out about the Premier League himself having never worked on these shores before.

Like the new signings made so far, he is still getting to know the division.

But Laudrup does not buy into the idea that Michu, Flores and de Guzman were bound to struggle with the pace and power of the Premier League.

"We are talking about players who have played at the highest level," he says.

"There are some small differences in style between the Premier League and La Liga, but they are the two best leagues in the world.

"All three players have the experience of playing at the top level."

Michu grabbed the headlines on the opening day, but Flores also had a good afternoon in the centre of Swansea's defence while de Guzman was willing in midfield.

"We defended a little too deep in the first half, but Chico did well alongside Ashley (Williams)," Laudrup continues.

"Jonathan did well for 65 minutes before he came off.

"He had a difficult year last year, playing for a team who normally fight for the Champions League places but ended up getting relegated.

"But I know him. I know that in some weeks, he will get the last 15 or 20 per cent that he needs.

"In a month's time, he can play 90 minutes, no problem."

There will soon be considerable competition for a place in Swansea's midfield if the club can succeed in their bid to sign Ki Sung-Yueng.

Leon Britton was typically impressive against Rangers, while Kemy Agustien had a positive influence when he came off the bench.

Joe Allen may have departed, but Swansea's options in the middle of the pitch still look strong right now.

Indeed, all of a sudden everything looks a little brighter at the Liberty after a close season the club could have done without.

It is amazing what one game can do, but then the QPR result was a startling one.

It was Swansea's first opening-day win in seven years and their first ever on Rangers' own patch.

It was the most handsome travelling victory Swansea have enjoyed since Leyton Orient were beaten 5-0 back in 2007 and the biggest ever achieved by the club in the top flight.

It was just one game, of course, and there are many more battles ahead for Swansea's new regime, starting against Sam Allardyce's rugged West Ham United side next Saturday lunchtime.

But for Laudrup, Michu and the rest of this summer's new faces, QPR was a sensational way to start

Photo: Action Images

Derby County Polls