There have been only a handful of deals already in this January transfer window but there may not be a more surprising or exciting for the supporters of a club than Juan Manuel Iturbe’s loan transfer to Bournemouth from Roma. The Giallorossi paid close to €31m after fees were taken into account only 18 months ago for the once-dubbed Paraguayan Messi and so for the 22-year-old to be moving to the newly promoted Cherries comes as something of a shock. Given his reputation and profile, Bournemouth and Eddie Howe are justified in their excitement but can Iturbe deliver the goods?

The Premier League newcomers are still awaiting a work permit before their latest acquisition can make his debut but manager Eddie Howe has been speaking in glowing terms regarding the attributes that Iturbe can bring to his side.

“He will bring energy, creativity, pace and can pick a pass. We’re hopeful that he can have a big impact for us. I don’t think you go for the transfer fee he has if you’re not hugely talented. We have to fit him into our style and way of working but hopefully he’ll bring goals and that creative spark we need. I’m excited to see him play. It is the type of signing that shows we are ambitious.”

In theory Iturbe will bring all of these things but manager Rudi García and the Roma supporters may well feel entitled to scoff at such claims after failing to see anything near the expected return on their sizeable investment.

It is as a result of these failings why Bournemouth were able to successfully complete negotiations and see off competition from fellow Premier League side, Watford. This point was not lost on Howe, who explained: “It was a really long process to get the deal agreed. A player of his calibre is not one you would normally associate with a club like us.

“We had competition and we were able to secure his signature in a move that favoured us so we get to look at him before any decision is made to sign him permanently.”

Howe will of course be hoping to have the Iturbe of Hellas Verona; the one who terrorised Serie A defences and prompted Roma to shell out such a vast sum rather than the inconsistent and hugely frustrating Iturbe who looked so out of depth post-transfer.

There is cause for optimism. Iturbe’s prodigious talent that earned him a starting role for Paraguayan side Cerro Porteño at sixteen prompted comparisons with Lionel Messi thanks to his small stature, rapid acceleration and quick feet. Although there was plenty of room for development the core ingredients for a special forward were evident.

Those attributes remain but what Iturbe is yet to prove is that he has the brain and the decision making ability to thrive at the top level. Pace remains as dangerous a weapon as ever to any footballer but it should just be one of the means to achieving success. It is critical that it can be used constructively and when the time is right, the player knows when to shoot, when to hold the ball or when and who to pass to.

After an unsuccessful transfer to Porto and a loan spell at River Plate, it was not clear that Iturbe had yet grasped this.

However, during the 2013/14 season with Hellas Verona, something finally clicked and Iturbe began to show something close to his potential. His full debut in Verona produced a wonderful free-kick goal and alongside veteran striker Luca Toni, the Gialloblu made an unlikely push for Europe. With the side set-up to play on the counter and retaining only an average of 45% possession it perfectly suited Iturbe’s direct style. The youngster was Serie A’s second most prolific dribbler and with no real thought to simply retain the ball, Iturbe enjoyed the best season of his career scoring eight times and assisting for four.

This alerted the division’s heavyweights and just when champions Juventus looked to have sealed a deal, Roma swooped and paid around €30 million. Reproducing his Verona form in the Stadio Olimpico has proved a real challenge and in 55 appearances, Iturbe has managed only five goals and five assists.

One possible explanation for this would be that Roma are unable to simply play on the break in the same way that the smaller Italian clubs will look to. Rudi García’s side have over 55% possession, second only to Napoli in Serie A this term, and so Roma’s forwards need to be far more measured and calculating in how they break down defences. The majority of sides when visiting the Stadio Olimpico will defend deep and in numbers and in doing so seriously inhibit Iturbe’s style of play. García and the club after less than two seasons obviously feel that the 22-year-old will never fit into their system.

This decision could be Bournemouth’s gain as it is easier to see similarities between the Cherries and Hellas Verona than it is with Roma. Eddie Howe’s sides’ underdog status in the Premier League is unlikely to see many teams park the proverbial bus against them and surrender possession as they would against the more established title challengers. This should allow Iturbe to revert back to his more natural role of breaking at speed with the opposition defence running back towards their own goal. The Premier League by its very nature is faster and more open than Serie A and again could be perfectly suited to Iturbe.

That is not to say the move is certain to be a success. For starters, Iturbe speaks no English and Eddie Howe has already attempted to temper expectation: “We can’t expect him to save our season. Hopefully he can add little bits in time that will help us get there. We’ll have an interpreter at training to help us to tell him what we need him to do. Football is universal so I think he’ll cope but I do urge caution. He’s one of many players who need to perform to help us achieve our objectives.”

Iturbe himself has admitted that this is a ‘big opportunity’ and for his own personal growth and Bournemouth’s survival hopes, they will be hoping it is a success. Whether it proves to be or not, it remains a coup for Eddie Howe and will be fascinating to see the result.