"He actually said to me 'you can call me Chile Nacho'. I have no idea why, so I just call him Nacho."
That statement from Dean Smith is an insight into just how seamlessly Marcelino Nunez has adjusted to life at Norwich City after a summer arrival from his native Chile.
Upon his first tour of Colney, the midfielder was left marvelling at the quality of the pitches to the extent where he was picking the grass to make sure it was genuine.
In Chile, Nunez had played on pitches containing more sand than grass. The realisation was that he would be able to extract his technical qualities every day in both training and matches.
Alongside that moment, another anecdote those behind the scenes are quick to recall is when he received a particularly robust challenge from one of his teammates and proceeded not to protest or confront, but merely to burst out laughing whilst sitting on the turf.
He has already become a popular presence among colleagues, but that approval has extended into the stands.
A humble wave often greets the affection he receives, but he has already made quite the first impression.
But beyond the stunning free kicks, intense counterpressing and slick passing, Smith is still pushing for more from the 22-year-old.
"He's in a good place and has been playing every game, very rarely coming off the pitch to be subbed so he's certainly doing okay for us.
"There is improvement in there," he said. "He has been a little bit loose on the ball in our own half and I've spoken to him about that through our interpreter.
"He has settled in really well and is very infectious around the group. It's funny seeing him try to have a conversation, he just talks to the lads in Spanish and expects them to understand him but they speak back to him in English and they both laugh."
Smith is right. Only six players have played more passes than Nunez this season, but all of the top ten enjoy a higher success rate than him.
The Chilean has recorded the second highest amount of shots this season behind ex-Blackpool winger Josh Bowler - but each one has an expected goal value of 0.04, meaning they aren't of a high standard.
His physical statistics are also ranking high when compared to his colleagues and City's boss will be hoping that this enforced break will help recharge his batteries ahead of the Championship's resumption.
"He's coming on leaps and bounds in all facets of the game. I thought he looked tired against Coventry, I must admit," Smith said.
"He's put a lot of workload in and, if you look at his numbers, he is probably our highest total distance runner in every game. His numbers are up there with anyone in the group. It was good for him to have a couple of days rest this week, that's for sure."
Nunez' adaptation is a testament to the years of work that has gone into signing South American talent.
In a bid to get ahead of the Brexit curve, Norwich opted to explore the continent ahead of others such as Asia, Africa or Oceania in pursuit of talent, knowing those markets have become more viable since the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union.
That work included exploring various avenues of where talent may reside, the appointment of two scouts and a study on how to help players adapt which has seen the club appoint a full time translator.
All of that has paid off in Nunez' settling in, likewise with Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Sara.
"He has a great understanding of the game and sometimes it is hard for players to come in and adapt so well, especially from different continents but let alone for different countries and clubs," Smith said.
"His intelligence for the game is really good and his awareness and empathy in the dressing room have all made that transition easier for him."
Smith admitted in a post-match interview recently that Nunez was yet to fully adapt to life in the Championship - that should serve as a warning to City's competitors.
It may be early in his Norwich City career, but Nunez is loving life and remains determined to fulfil his dream of playing in the Premier League.
