Miguel Layun is a man with a lot on his plate. He swapped the familiarity of home and Mexican side Club America for Watford in January, has been pitched into a new position on the field and will be almost 5,500 miles away from his pregnant wife for the final month of the season.

It is inarguably little surprise therefore that the 26-year-old is, by his own admission, still adapting to the rough-and-tumble of English football. Learning a new style of football and a new position is a tall order for any player but without a support system of family and friends the task is only heightened.

“I love St Albans and I love Watford. I like the small towns but sometimes it is very hard to have your family and all your friends very far away,” Layun acknowledges. “Last weekend was very tough for my wife and I because we would be used to going for lunch or dinner with my friends whereas we don’t have that here yet. But it is part of the profession and we have to get used to that.

“Our baby will be born soon so I think we will be busy heading into the next season,” he says understatedly.

The midfielder’s wife is currently in the UK with him but with friendly matches in Mexico against Paraguay and Ecuador looming, the numbers of days until she returns home are ticking by.

He explains: “She came here to be with me and it is very important for us to have each other but I think it is better for her that she goes back to Mexico and I will be here for the last month [of the season] alone and I will try to keep my head up and my head clear to do what I have to do on the pitch.”

However, Layun hopes to be closer to his wife in time for the birth. With Mexico in Chile for the Copa America in June and in the USA for the CONCACAF Gold Cup a month later, there is a good chance. In proximity terms, he will be hoping for the States.

Layun expands: “She will go back for the friendly match with Mexico because I have to fly. If they call me up I have to fly to US so then fly to Mexico alone.”

In the mean time, the Cordoba-born player is hastily learning a new position as one of the three central midfielders utilised in either of head coach Slavisa Jokanovic’s favoured systems. It is another adjustment for the former Velacruz player to make but he is attacking it with relish.

“No, [I have not played in central midfield before],” he reveals. “For the national team I play at left wing-back. I have played in a midfield four on the sides; I played there last season with Club America and did well – I scored six goals in the last 11 matches.”

Layun continues: “I am getting used to a lot of different things here. For example I have to learn how to tackle over here. In Mexico if you touch them just a little bit then the opposition player will try to jump and every single time it is a foul whereas here it is not like that. I am getting used to that and learning how to play here but I prefer playing in the midfield because I can touch the ball more times in matches.”

And Hornets head coach Jokanovic recognises the challenges facing the 22-cap international.

He said: “I don’t have time with Miguel, he doesn’t have a lot of time to adapt. I have used him in all the games and I have changed him in the last two games because he hasn’t been very fresh.

“He is an important guy for us and has helped us in many games that he has participated in. I think he has played ten games since he arrived a month-and-a-half ago. The message for him is to keep going, be strong and be part of the squad.”

Layun picks up that theme, explaining: “You have more time when you receive the ball in international football and I think even in the Premier League you have more time when you touch the ball.

“In the Championship you are under pressure all the time, the opposition keep running for 95 minutes and sometimes it is very hard to be on the touchline and have the opposition player pressing you. I think I can get better in midfield and I just need time to get used to things and try to improve every time I go on the pitch.”

He adds: “In a lot of the matches teams just put the ball into the box or try to play long ball and then press us. In Mexico or with the national team you have to play on the ground and you have playing styles compared to here. That is the difference right now but it is a very good league and I think I can improve. What I am learning here can work for the national team also.”

And with the Hornets embroiled in a fierce battle to win automatic promotion to the Premier League, Layun should have enough to keep him occupied until the pitter patter of tiny feet in three months.