Last Updated: Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:18
Martin Jol has described teenage midfielder Chris David as a 'very good talent' after he signed for Fulham from FC Twente on Friday.
The Cottagers boss almost snapped up the young prospect during the summer transfer window but he could not get him through a medical in time for the deal to be completed on August 31.
Therefore Jol has waited patiently to get David on board from the Dutch outfit as soon as the January window opened for business on Tuesday. And he is in no doubt the player, who has represented Holland at youth levels, will be a big hit at Craven Cottage.
Jol told the club's website: "He has signed and he is here. He trained with us this morning. He is 19 years of age, player of the year of all the academies in Holland.
"He is an exciting talent but he will need at least six months of a year to adapt, but hopefully he will do it quicker. He is a very, very good talent.
"People say Ajax were interested and I imagine there will have been other clubs who were interested in him.
"We are very happy to get him. Maybe you can remember there was a little worry with his medical check on the last day of the transfer window so we decided not to do it.
"We took more time and that was a little problem for the boy because he couldn't play.
"First we have to get him fit and after that you will see he is an international player at all levels so I am very happy we have got him."
Meanwhile, former Middlesbrough midfielder Mickael Tavares is to leave the club after being brought in on a month-to-month basis in October.
"He was a great pro and I knew him from Hamburg, but he was a back-up player," Jol added. "There was no necessity to use him so we thank him for being here but we decided not to extend that contract. This was probably his last day."
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