Top Singapore coaches have tipped national midfielder Hariss Harun to succeed in Spain -- if he can quickly adapt to the weather.
The 26-year-old is joining third-tier Spanish side CE L'Hospitalet on a one-year loan deal from Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta'zim for 2017.
His Singapore boss V. Sundramoorthy says that Hariss has the qualities of being adaptable and hard-working, which will help him to do well.
"For me, it boils down to the player's personality," Sundramoorthy told the New Paper.
"Hariss is a person who can adapt to challenges ... he's hardworking and very positive.
"You can put him anywhere ... he will strive to do his best and perform."
Sundram played for Swiss side FC Basel in the 1988-89 season, adding that Hariss would have to overcome the challenge of adapting to different pitches and weather.
"To be honest, I think it would take one or two seasons for a footballer from this region to get used to playing football in those conditions," he said. "So the key is how fast Hariss can adapt to the conditions there.
"Coming from a place with a hot climate, and jumping into one so cold wasn't ideal, but you have to learn to adapt."
His former LionsXII boss Fandi Ahmad, who played for Dutch club FC Groningen in the mid 1980's, added that Hariss will need to pick up key Spanish phrases to fit in with his teammates.
"One of the toughest things will be the language because not all the Spanish players will be able to speak English," said Fandi.
"What I did in Groningen was to get a roommate who spoke English, so if I did not know anything, I would ask him.
"Gradually, I spoke more and more to other teammates who knew a bit of English and, by three months, I could converse in Dutch."
It won't be the first time that Hariss has been on a Spanish football pitch. In 2007, he was the Singapore winner of a Nike content that secured him a week-long training stint at Barcelona's La Masia academy.
Hariss will return to Singapore in late March ahead of his nation's first match in the third round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying. They will face Bahrain in Riffa on Mar. 28, with Turkmenistan and Chinese Taipei the other teams in Group E.