Gabby Sara and Marcelino Nunez are loving life at Norwich City – apart from swapping South American sunshine for frosty Norfolk.

City head coach David Wagner joked dark wintry days are the only drawback for a duo he believes can emerge as key figures in the club’s Championship promotion push.

Wagner started both in his FA Cup bow against Blackburn, and Sara has been a stand out in the recent thumping league wins over Preston and Coventry.

City’s first foray into the South American transfer market last summer has met with new boss Wagner’s approval.

“First and foremost, I can say they are two wonderful characters. Both of them always have a smile on their face,” he said. “I think they have really settled in very, very well within the group and in the football club. Everybody here loves them. This is great to see.

"Obviously they are technically great footballers as well. It's a certain style they play in South America, and a different style to which we play here in Europe, especially in England, but now after nearly five, six months, they have adapted pretty well.

“I've spoken with them and it's quite funny because obviously the temperature is not what they are used to. But they are prepared with gloves and whatever else you need. It's a totally new experience this time of the year.

"They told me what they really miss is the light, it can get dark early and for a long while as well. But good characters, and I'm very happy to work with them.”

 

Wagner warned his players when he first arrived at Carrow Road he will push their boundaries.

“I said I might ask them to leave any comfort zone. Well, these two guys, for sure, have already left their comfort zone,” he said. “If somebody comes from aboard, and not like me from Germany 500 kilometres to England, this is nothing special, but these boys, I don't know, maybe 15,000 kilometres from South America.

"This only shows what brave characters they are and I'm 100pc sure they will be the right signings for us. They have already shown this.

“Technically they have that football brain. Obviously the physicality is something they had to adapt too, and what they did already.

"The biggest difference is to take care of the ball in every single situation because, if not, you can get punished and this is something which we work on.

"But they are very open minded, so if I asked my players to leave their comfort zone in the future to get better, to make a step in the right direction, they can do this.”