Jose Izquierdo will be partying back at home next summer, come what may.

Albion’s new record signing organises a party when he returns to Pereira in Colombia for his holidays.

He puts up big Hollywood style letters spelling out the work Izquierland on a small hill near his house.

Then he gets on stage, dons his shades and DJs the night away as the townspeople join in.

The Argus:

Izquierdo worked hard on his game in Belgium

It is brilliant fun. And Izquierdo loves a laugh, as some of his goal celebrations show.

But none of that should be able to mask the dedication and discipline when it counts which have secured him a possible move to the Seagulls.

At Club Brugge, they loved his free spirit and beaming smile. They enjoy hearing him talk about his beloved pet dog Lucho and his micropig back home.

But it is the willingness to knuckle down, bulk up and work hard which endeared him to head coach Michel Preudhomme.

It is easy to imagine that those factors might also have been what helped persuade Chris Hughton and Albion to part with unprecedented money for his services.

“He’s very fast and very good with the dribble,” said Guillaume Maebe, a journalist who follows Bruges for Het Nieuwsblad.

The Argus:

Jose Izquierdo enjoys himself after winning the golden boot in Belgium

“He is someone who likes to cut inside and go for goal.

“That was his problem when he first came here. He did it too often! He didn’t get outside and try to get crosses in.

“He was a rough diamond with a lot of talent and a lot of speed.

“Over the years, he has become a complete winger. He knows about defending now.

“Preudhomme was a very tactical coach who was big on structure.

“Izquierdo has become not your typical South American winger.

“He is a disciplined player and can be seen as the complete package.

“Preudhomme re-invented him as a winger.”

Maybe that should not be a surprise. Izquierdo is well educated and started taking English lessons before he even left Colombia.

He began giving one-to-one interviews in English during his time in Bruges having initially opted for Spanish via an interpreter.

It appears he also quickly learnt how he would need to improve as a footballer after arriving in Belgium from Once Caldas.

Maebe said he struggled at first but added: “Even after his first good period here he knew what he needed to work at.

“He is professional. He eats healthily, takes care of himself.

The Argus:

“He can be a clown. He loves singing and dancing to South American music. Once, when he scored a goal, he ended up celebrating wearing sunglasses.

“One supporter, who must have been in on the plan, threw him some glasses. But he is a nice guy and a professional.”

Izquierdo is not the most physically powerful and some sources in Belgium were suggesting that would count against him in the Premier League.

Hughton and his recruitment team obviously do not think so.

Maebe gave an example of why he would also have no fears on that score.

He said: “When Izquierdo came over he was quite small and thin.

“After he had been here for a couple of years, he told me about his first game for Bruges, which was a 0-0 draw against Torino in the Europa League.

“He told me how he didn’t manage to get away from his marker all game. Two years on he said he was a totally different player.

“He knew how to create room, he had gained muscle and he was ready to deal with that type of defender. That is the progress he made with Bruges.”