In the summer of 2014 Nordin Amrabat had the chance of joining West Bromwich Albion and fulfilling his Premier League dream. But Watford's new signing turned the opportunity down and it is a mark of the man as to why.

“West Brom wanted to take me on loan but I’d given my word to Malaga that I’d go back to them,” the winger explains.

“I had been there for four months on loan before going back to Galatasaray. I told Malaga that summer ‘either I stay here with Galatasaray or I will come back to you’.

“I am a person who doesn’t break their word. So when they have been waiting for me it isn’t nice to suddenly change and go somewhere else. They had the chance to sign other players but they waited for me.

“If they’d waited for me until the last week and then I said no then they don’t have a player for that position. So if I say something I will try and keep my word.”

Fast forward 18 months and the 28-year-old finally got his Premier League move. He joined Watford this week from Malaga for £6.1 million after an impressive two years in La Liga.

The deal was completed fairly swiftly. The only hold up was Malaga, understandably, didn’t want to let their prized asset leave midway through the season.

Ultimately the Spanish club had no choice in the matter.

“Watford wanted to pay my release clause and that was enough for me,” Amrabat says. “I knew about Watford and about the Premier League.

“I knew Watford played good football too so I wanted to come. The move happened really fast. They showed interest, made their offer and I told Malaga I wanted to go.

“Malaga didn’t want me to leave and said they could make a deal with Watford now and I would go in the summer.

“I told Sheik Abdullah Al Thani (Malaga’s owner), ‘no I want to go directly’. Watford paid my release clause and he couldn’t do anything. That’s how it happened.”

Amrabat says he is ready for a new challenge at Watford. And perhaps a new position.

By his own admission Amrabat is a winger but Hornets boss Quique Sanchez Flores has stated on several occasions he plans to use the Morocco international as a striker.

It’s a role Amrabat has played before and it is one he will again if needed.

“Wherever the manager needs me I’ll play,” he says. “If the manager puts me as a winger great. If he puts me as a striker I’ll play as a striker.

“I started in Malaga as a striker. The coach wasn’t happy with the striker and tried me there. He was happy with how I played. So last year I played as a striker and this year I’ve played more as a winger.

“In the big games, against Barcelona and Real Madrid, I’ve played as a striker to keep the ball and create something.”

He adds: “I am a player who does not think about himself. I think about the team. I prefer to play on the left but I can play on the right too. I play where the coach tells me. Where he needs me to play.

Amrabat may have only been a Watford player for four days but he seems at ease as we chat at the Hornets’ London Colney training ground.

He is likely to be making his debut in tomorrow’s game against Newcastle United.

Given the Hornets recent form, they’ve lost their last four Premier League matches, Amrabat’s arrival could be a much needed boost.

“The players and staff are really nice and they’ve made me feel welcome. I am happy here and I am now looking forward to the real action. I want to play,” he says.

“We need to work hard and stay focused. The first two defeats were against Manchester City and Tottenham.

“The last two [against Southampton and Swansea] can happen as everyone can beat everyone. We have quality. I've seen we have good players in training. Sometimes you just need that little bit of luck.”