No quarantine issues for new boy
NEW signing Pipa is the perfect example of the character of player Huddersfield Town want, according to Leigh Bromby.
The signing right-back has joined from Espanyol for an undisclosed fee.
Formally known as Gonzalo Avila Gordon but universally referred to by his mononym, the 22-year-old becomes the Terriers’ third signing of the summer following Danny Ward’s free transfer from Cardiff and Joel
The references on his
character and the standard of his training
were glowing
NEW Huddersfield Town rightback Pipa could make his Terriers debut as soon as Saturday thanks to an exemption in the UK’s quarantine rules.
The right-back arrived in West Yorkshire from Spain on Monday but will not have to undergo the 14-day coronavirus quarantine period that normally applies to international travel.
Elite athletes have been granted an exception to that by the government as long as several key criteria are met.
Under DCMS guidance, new signings are allowed to train and play without quarantining as long as the club can prove the player has come from another elite sport bubble with regular Covid-19 testing.
The player must provide a negative test before travelling to the new country and must be entering the UK for the purposes of joining an elite sporting environment.
And the player’s medical should take place in the country of origin before they travel.
It is this rule that allowed Dani Ceballos to play for Arsenal less than 24 hours after returning to England to begin a second loan spell from Real Madrid.
Likewise, Town are believed to have met all of the requirements for their transfer of Spanish under-21 international Pipa.
That means he should be available for Carlos Corberan to select for Town’s Championship opener at home to Norwich City at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday.
The new signing will compete with Demeaco Duhaney and Aaron Rowe for a place in the starting XI, with Isaac Mbenza also tried out in the role off the bench in Saturday’s 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Rochdale.
Corberan may alternatively look to introduce Pipa to Championship football more gradually.