Swansea new boy Jonjo Shelvey cannot wait for the latest phase of his career to start in earnest.
The 21-year-old midfielder completed a £5million move to the Liberty Stadium last week and was quickly whisked off to the club's pre-season training camp in Holland, where he has played 45 minutes in each of their friendly victories over FC Gravenzande and Excelsior.
Shelvey told the club's official website, www.swanseacity.net: "I'm looking forward to being part of it. I watched Swansea play a lot in the Premier League. The way they play football excites me and I can't wait to be part of it."
He added: "When I spoke to the Swansea chairman (Huw Jenkins), he said they had been tracking me from my Charlton days. I also heard of a link when Joe Allen was going to Liverpool, but that never happened. It raised its head again over the summer and I was following it in the papers every morning while on holiday until it happened for real."
Shelvey has spent the last few days getting to know his new team-mates, although that is a process which has proved easier than it might have been with the rest of the squad welcoming him from the off.
He said: "It's always a nervous time joining a new club. It was the same when I went from Charlton to Liverpool, then to Blackpool on loan and now Swansea.
"You don't know what to expect meeting the players for the first time, even down to the staff. But I have learnt that you can't be negative. You have got to be positive and confident in order to show your character and ability.
"In fairness to the boys here, they welcomed me in straight away. They were having dinner at the hotel when I arrived and they all got up to shake my hand and welcome me to the club.
"I had heard that Swansea was a friendly club. I spoke to Joe Allen just before I signed and he had nothing but good things to say about the club and the fans. (Liverpool and former Swansea boss) Brendan Rodgers and Colin Pascoe were exactly the same.
"The fans seem passionate as well. Less than two hours after I had agreed to sign, people were coming up to me in the local Sainsbury's in Swansea for autographs and pictures. They were all very welcoming, which was great."
Source: PA
