The Greyhound is looking to cook up something special with Albion – and maybe even 'steak' a claim for an Argentina call.

New Seagulls signing Ezequiel Schelotto combines impressive rib-eyes from back home and Italian cuisine at his popular restaurant Ciao Gaucho in Lisbon.

He has Italian background and played once for the Azzurri, in a 2-1 friendly defeat to England five years ago.

But the attack-minded right-back has eyes on an Argentinean cap as he arrives in the Premier League from Sporting Club in Portugal.

That would be a sure sign his big move completed yesterday has paid off.

He said: “I have one selection for the Italian national team in a friendly game. I won’t close the door to the Italian national team but the dream is to play for Argentina.

“I was born in Argentina and my family are from Argentina, even thought they now live in Italy. I am happy that the Italian national team gave me that one opportunity but my heart is from Argentina and my next step is to play for them.

“The Premier League is the biggest league in the world. It’s now a reality that Brighton are in the Premier League, and hopefully that helps open the door to the Argentinian national squad.

Schelotto earned his Spanish nickname of El Galgo, meaning greyhound, for his pace. “It was given to me when I was playing junior football in Argentina,” he revealed.

“When they saw me running and playing and joking in a training session they gave me this nickname and it has stayed with me for 22 years!”

But he has become known as a man with an eye to business and interests off the pitch during the most recent part of his career at Sporting.

The Argus:

Ezequiel Schelotto arrives at the Albion training complex yesterday. Picture by Geoff Penn

He opened Ciao Gaucho in the vibrant, modern Park of Nations area of Lisbon, a formerly derelict area by the river which was drastically redeveloped for Expo 1998.

Now he will have to keep an eye on business from afar as he moves to England with wife Gisela and their four-month-old daughter Isabella.

He said: “The decision is easy because my dream is to play in the Premier League.

“I consulted my family and my agent and after speaking to the manager, coach and staff of Brighton, it helped my decision.

“We received offers from Championship teams with good names, from Spain, from Italy and from Germany but the dream is to come to the Premier League.

“Respect to the coach and the staff of Brighton, they opened a big door and I have an opportunity to start a new adventure and I’m happy with that.”

He added: “I’m happy to begin the first training session and the first few games.

“The Premier League is different to Italy and Portugal. I hope to give my best to the team, to the coach and to the supporters.

“Firstly, I’ll give my best to win a lot of games for Brighton and, secondly, I hope at the end of the season Brighton are in the middle of the table. I’ll give my maximum to the team.”

Schelotto will hope to strike up the sort of rapport with Chris Hughton which he reportedly did not enjoy with Sporting’s extrovert boss, Jorge Jesus.

He was with Sporting for a year-and-half and signed a new three-year deal during the winter.

But his liking for attack was seen as being at odds with what Jesus wanted.

The fact that he could look outside the parochial rivalry and be friends with South Americans who played for cross-city rivals Benfica was also hard for some to understand.

Jesus had spiced up the rivalry by walking out on Benfica after they won the title in 2015 and joining Sporting.

It appears Schelotto saw no reason not to be mates with those who wore the enemy’s red on matchdays.

Friends from Benfica included Andre Carrillo, the man who would have been an opponent had Schelotto signed in time for Albion’s trip to Watford.

But the deal was done rather later than that. Reports in Portugal suggested his destination was unknown until yesterday with a return to Italy also a possibility.

Rui Gomes, a reporter for O Jogo, one of Portugal’s daily sports-only newspapers, said: “Schelotto can play in midfield but really he is a right-back.

“He is a good player, he played well but not in the way Jorge Jesus wanted.

“He is pretty good attacking player but the coach wanted something else.

“Off the pitch he is steady, a normal guy, no problems.

“He had friends from within Sporting and also Benfica, which some people didn’t like.

“He has got quite a strong personality and so has the coach.”

Jesus decided Schelotto and former Fulham forward Bryan Ruiz did not figure in his plans for this season.

Schelotto has a wealth of experience, built up initially at home with Velez Sarsfield and Banfield, then in Serie A at Atalanta and Internazionale plus loan stints elsewhere.

Hence the different cultural influences on and off the pitch.

He describes Ciao Gaucho as a “gastronomic journey” and it certainly relates to his cosmopolitan past with an array of hearty steaks, empanadas, pasta, pizza and gnocchi.

Ornate frames on the wall hold not classic Italian paintings but Schelotto’s football shirts.

There is a framed TV screen showing, when possible, a live match.

A board showing the menu of the day actually reads: “Starter - Arrive happy, leave even happier. Main course - Love and more love please. Dessert - Let the party carry on forever.”

That might not be a bad order for his new adventure in England..