Graham Potter has revealed the plan to get Moises Caicedo up to speed for the Premier League.

The newly-signed midfielder from Ecuador is just starting the long process to take him from a pre-season break through to an eventual Prem debut.

Albion are able and willing to give him time.

He will begin his work with sessions alongside fitness staff before joining the main group for full-on training at a later date.

There will also be an expectation for him to learn English.

When action comes around, it will feel a long way from his most recent league outing.

That came on Monday, December 21 – the day after Albion drew 1-1 at home to Sheffield United – as he started for Independiente Del Valle in a 1-0 defeat at Macara, played at altitude in the Andes.

But he is a few weeks from that landmark moment just yet.

Potter said: “I would say he is at the start of what would be a pre-season after quite a long break.

“His last game was the middle of December.

“It has been quite a drawn out process.

“He has been quarantining and all sorts of things so he is right at the bottom in terms of where his game time and fitness and football fitness is.

“What we have to do now is slowly build that up and at the same time let him adapt to his new home.

“To start off he trains outside the group just to be careful with him and let him settle.

“Then we will look to integrate him into the group when it’s the right time.”

Caicedo, who is squad No.25, will be able to converse easily enough with Bruno on the coaching staff and players such as Alexis Mac Allister and Robert Sanchez.

But learning the language will be important.

Asked whether Caicedo already had any English, Potter said: “Not so much. He will be busy learning.”

Albion are aware Caicedo, still only 19, faces a major adaptation process in terms of the football and training.

It therefore makes sense for him to train, in what is a competitive environment, with Prem players on a daily basis.

Potter said: “The Premier League is unique in terms of how it is.

“The intensity and the quality of the opposition you face.

“I think it is a huge difference and a huge adaptation he has got to make. It’s not just on the football pitch, it’s off the pitch as well. But we are going to start that process with him.

“We will do our best and, like with Alexis, it’s not a straight road.

“You have to be patient and we have to work with him but he has the football attributes and he is determined and he’s looking forward to being here.”

Not a straight road. But hopefully not as winding as that which faced Mac Allister from the moment he arrived at a time when England was being battered by storms this time last year.

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Worse, of course, was to follow before he really got to grips with his new league.

Potter said: “Alexis’s situation was quite extreme in terms of a global pandemic to deal with as well.

“But you shouldn’t have a predetermined idea of how it is going to do.

“You have really got to be open-minded.

“Everyone adapts differently, everyone’s situation is different.

“We just need to start by letting him settle here and getting him familiar and comfortable here.

“When he is more comfortable here there is more chance he can enjoy his football.”

Potter readily admits the Caicedo deal was a complicated one to pull off.

Brexit has lowered the bar in terms of securing work permits for players from outside the EU.

Whether that really opens up markets in Latin America remains to be seen.

Potter said: “The world is a big place and of course you have to be open-minded to anything.

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“The club have done well in terms of identifying him and getting the deal done. It was quite complex.

“It’s not a straight-forward process. Even when everything has been done and agreed, it’s then settling in and adapting to a new culture, a new continent, a new league, everything.

“That’s the challenge, that’s what we have to help him with.

“He’s an exciting and young player. We want to try our best.”