Huddersfield's Ivan Paurevic in action watched by Michael Hefele 2016/17 Pre Season Friendly Guiseley AFC v Huddersfield Town 06/07/16 (Pic by John Rushworth) Football Images are covered by DataCo licence agreements. For Editorial Use Only No Free Use permitted.
David Wagner says new Huddersfield Town midfielder Ivan Paurevic will soon be up to speed.
The 25-year-old Croatian - who stands 6ft 5in tall - has joined from Russian side FC Ufa in a £200,000 deal.
After Town’s team-bonding trip to Sweden last month, he was given a couple of extra days off because of the late end to the Russian season.
And while his new teammates each featured for 45 minutes of Wednesday’s opening friendly at Guiseley, Paurevic played half an hour.
Having come on at the start of the second half, he was replaced by teenage prospect Jordan Williams for the final quarter of an hour.
However head coach Wagner is happy with the progress of the former Croatian Under 21 player, who was a member of his squad at Borussia Dortmund II, having started his career at Rot-Weiss Essen and later played for Fortuna Dusseldorf.
“We always planned 30 minutes for Ivan,” explained the boss, whose side head to Oldham Athletic for their second friendly on Saturday.
“Not only did he start a few days later than the rest, but he did an extra session to the others on the day of the Guiseley game.
“At this stage we have to build up fitness in a measured way, and that’s what Ivan is doing.
Wagner has also earmarked the trans-Pennine trip for Aaron Mooy’s debut.
The Australian international midfielder arrived on a season-long loan from Manchester City on the eve of the Guiseley game, which Town won 1-0.