Arnau Puigmal has outlined the main difference between football in England and Spain as he looks to settle at Manchester United. The recent recruit from Espanyol signed his first professional contract at the Aon Training Complex recently, alongside Head of Academy Nicky Butt and in front of his proud family.
With his English coming along nicely, the 17-year-old midfielder shares the same ambition as all of the Academy youngsters - breaking through into the Reds' senior side - and is aware of the size and history of the club.
"It's just all about hard work and getting better as a player," Puigmal told ManUtd.com in his first interview since joining the club. "I think, in the next five years, it would be a dream if I can become a professional player in the Manchester United first team. That is my aim and obviously it would be a wish come true.
"My mum was the first person to tell me about United because they spoke with her and it was the best moment in my life to come here. It is a big club - it's enormous!
"I knew that United is the biggest club in England - and has been big for the last 100 years or more! I know of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs - there are too many players to name. Now I like Paul Pogba - I'm not that like him but we are midfielders and he is very good."
Puigmal's new team-mates have helped him adapt to life at his new club, as did a summer training camp in Austria, where he could bond with the rest of Kieran McKenna's Under-18s squad.
"It was nice meeting the team and being introduced to them," he said. "They are very good guys and nice people. It's different in England - the weather is bad! [laughs] No, seriously, there are many good things to enjoy here.
"I think the biggest difference is definitely the fact the game is so physical. People here work intensely in the gym and that's not always the case in Spain. It's different but that's good. It helps the players to get bigger and stronger.
"I want that too and I think my aim is getting better as a player. Not only playing, playing, playing but improving as a player here."
Puigmal regularly takes on dead-ball situations and wasted no time in endearing himself to United's youth followers with a debut goal from a free-kick against Newcastle United last year.
"I take free-kicks," he concludes. "I practise them a lot. I try to practise them two or three days a week, from different positions. I try to practise all the set-pieces in general, corners as well and not only free-kicks."
Puigmal is back from international duty, the teenager scored one of the goals in Spain's impressive 2-0 win over Italy at Under-17 level, and could be involved in the Under-18s' live MUTV clash with Derby County on Saturday.
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