Pochettino expecting ´unbelievable´ Sanchez to adapt quickly

Mauricio Pochettino is optimistic about a quick adaptation to life at Tottenham for new club-record signing Davinson Sanchez because “he’s unbelievable”.

The Colombian defender joined Spurs from Ajax in a deal costing an initial €40million, making the 21-year-old the fifth most expensive defender in history.

Sanchez only spent one season in the Netherlands after leaving Atletico Nacional and Pochettino sees parallels with his own journey into European football, when he left Newell’s Old Boys for Espanyol as a 22-year-old.

Pochettino is confident Sanchez is well-equipped to adapt quickly at Tottenham because he did precisely that at Ajax.

He told reporters ahead of Sunday’s visit of Burnley: “From America, you come to Europe, you don’t know what you will find here. But him, he’s unbelievable.

“He speaks very good English, and from day one when he arrived I think he is like all the players here. Yes, he is very welcome with the team-mates and he is one of us.

“It was difficult at the beginning, [but he has] all the characteristics for success here.

“First of all, it [the challenge] is to adapt yourself. I moved with my wife, we were not scared, but you are waiting because you don’t know.

“When he arrived at Ajax from the beginning he showed his quality, started to show his character and personality. I think he was the best player on Ajax in his first season.

“That showed that he is a player with big character and personality, and with a lot of potential.”