Iurie Iovu reckons his star-studded Italian apprenticeship will stand him in good stead to thrive with Dundee United.
Iovu, 22, is one of two summer arrivals for the Terrors to date, joining Zac Sapsford in bolstering the ranks at Tannadice.
The Moldova international boasts a fine schooling in the game, coming through the ranks in Serie A with Cagliari and training alongside the likes of Uruguay icon Diego Godin and current Inter ace Nicolo Barella.
While he didn’t make the breakthrough in Italy, he utilised those lessons during spells with the likes of NK Istra and Deportivo Alaves.
“In Italy, it is a good school, especially for defenders,” said Iovu.
“There is lot of tactical work and movement from a very young age.
“I had training with players like (Radja) Nainggolan, (Diego) Godin and (Nicolo) Barella, when he was at Cagliari.
“When you see these players and train with them, you improve a lot.”
Iovu ready for scrap
While defending is an artform in Italy – and the tactical elements of the game have been drilled into Iovu – it is clear he does not shy away from the raw physicality required to hold your own in the bruising Scottish Premiership.
“When you are a defender, you must be passionate and try to make strikers scared about (playing against) you,” he told Dundee United’s official website.
“You want to defend well and not concede goals. Football is about passion, and you must always give 100% to have good results.
“From what I know, Scottish football is a very physical league, and this is my strong point – physicality. I hope to fit well into the league.”
Well-rounded player
He added: “I played in Spain, which is a different style of football. That was good for my experience.
“I take things from Italy, Croatia and Spain to become a better player from all points of view.
“I can bring all those experiences to Dundee United and show myself well.”
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