Renato Veiga won’t take long to settle in. Our newest acquisition may only turn 21 later this month but he is already a man of the world.

England will be the sixth different country Veiga has lived in and his number of spoken languages, including English, in which he is fluent, already sits at a remarkable five. On holiday in London with his girlfriend earlier this year, he used rented electric bikes to get around town and visit his favourite record stores.

This is a man wise beyond his years. That temperament and talent has helped him get to where he is today.

'Following my dad throughout his career, I would say that I’m very mature for my age,’ Renato tells us at Cobham, shortly after signing a seven-year contract. His father Nelson had a 20-year playing career and represented Cape Verde 15 times.

‘You get put into situations at a very young age and you have to adapt to them. It’s like being in survival mode and it’s a way of living. You just have to live and get on with it.

'I lived abroad in Cyprus and Morocco when I was younger and you just have to adapt to it. It has made me build my strong character and my personality.

'I speak five different languages – English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Arabic. That has come from living abroad. I find it easier now to adapt to new environments because I have been put in that situation several times, but it’s always new and exciting.

'My dad is my biggest inspiration,’ adds Renato. ‘He used to play at centre-back and because of him, I started to develop my love for football. I remember watching him when I was younger and it would be the only place where I was quiet!

'I would just sit there and watch him play at stadiums, whereas at home I would be kicking the ball around and my mum would go nuts.'

Veiga cites his compatriots Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo as two other players who strongly influenced him. Veiga watched Pepe’s defensive nous closely growing up. They have similarly physically imposing styles of play, while Ronaldo’s ‘mentality and dedication’ has long shown the way for footballers around the world.

‘Wow’ is the word Veiga summons when asked for his Chelsea memories, ‘one of my favourite clubs’.

The names of Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba and N’Golo Kante roll off the tongue. Of the current crop, Veiga is already familiar with one player. He will get to know the rest soon enough.

‘Diego Moreira is my boy,’ he says. ‘I know him from the national team. I look forward to seeing him here because I haven’t actually got a chance to catch up with him. That will be a special moment.'

For now, though, it is time to get down to business. Renato Veiga is a hugely impressive man off the pitch, and he is determined to show what he can do on it. He arrives at Stamford Bridge after a breakout year with Basel and the 6ft 3in man from Lisbon is ready to prove his worth under Enzo Maresca.

'I’m a smart, aggressive player,’ Veiga explains.

‘I’m comfortable on the ball and I would describe myself as a complete player due to my versatility. I’m comfortable in many positions on the pitch. I wouldn’t say I have a favourite position because it depends on the opponent or tactical elements, but I have played at left-back, centre-back and as a defensive midfielder.

'I like to defend a lot and with my height and physical strength, I enjoy it. I like to control the game with or without the ball.’

Renato Veiga: controlled, composed, and Chelsea.