IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Borja

He crawled, he walked, he joined Atletico Madrid.

Borja was a mere four years old when he signed for one of the biggest clubs in Spain.
The son of an Atletico player-turned-coach, Borja was born into football.
Now aged 24, he is only just taking his first steps as a former Atletico man.
"I played with Atletico Madrid since I was four - I've been there my whole life," Borja says.
"I experienced many things there and it's always hard to leave, but I'm really excited to face this new stage in my career and this new adventure with Swansea City.
"I'm sure I'll be fine here with Swansea. I hope it works out to be a good thing for everyone."
There are some in Spain who believe Atletico were wrong to let one of their own go.
Borja said his farewells having made just one ill-fated senior appearance for Atletico, and that was way back in 2010.
He has played games for Atletico's B side, but the vast majority of his football since that solitary first-team chance has come away from the Spanish capital.
Borja was just 17 when he came on as a substitute in Atletico's La Liga meeting with Getafe just over six years ago.
He had been on the pitch for only 20 minutes when his cruciate ligament gave way.
Since then, he has had no fewer than five loan spells in his homeland, the first four of which were in the second tier.
Having scored goals for Murcia, Huesca, Deportivo La Coruna and Real Zaragoza, he got his chance in the Spanish top flight with Eibar last season.
Borja's success in front of goal continued, as he netted 18 times in 36 appearances during a year-long loan at an unfancied club whose stadium holds barely 6,000 people.
That spectacular return led many observers to suggest that Atletico boss Diego Simeone ought to give Borja a chance in 2016-17.
However, the summer arrivals of Kevin Gameiro and Nicolas Gaitan - who joined Antoine Griezmann and Fernando Torres in Simeone's squad - suggested that for Borja, chances would once again be hard to come by at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.
Hence the Swans' £15.5million bid for the hard-running frontman was accepted.
"Luckily I had a lot of offers to come to the Premier League and also in Spain," Borja says.
"But from the beginning, Swansea showed a lot of interest in me and the club made a great effort to get me.
"That means they trust me and at the end of the day, that's what I'm looking for - to be trusted and to do things well."
In a summer which saw numerous Premier League clubs send transfer records tumbling, Borja became the most expensive signing in Swans history when he arrived in Wales in early August.
The £12 million-plus package the Swans agreed when they bought Wilfried Bony from Vitesse Arnhem in 2013 was comfortably eclipsed by the Borja deal.
But the player is flattered, not flustered, by the sum of money it took to bring him to these shores.
"It is not something for me to worry about," he says.
"It's a good pressure because it shows how much the club wanted me to be here. I hope I can now repay the club by helping the team."
Borja's opportunities to contribute thus far have been limited to some extent by fitness issues.
The new man had barely been introduced at the Swans' Fairwood training base when he picked up a thigh problem.
And when he looked close to declaring himself fit, further pain saw his debut further delayed.
Borja eventually made his first appearance as a substitute in the defeat at Southampton in mid-September, then got his maiden Swans start in the EFL Cup defeat to Manchester City.
He came close to notching up his first Swans goal in that game, when he collected a loose clearance from Willy Caballero and rattled a shot goalwards only to see the City keeper recover to make a good save.
When the Swans met City once more in the Premier League, Borja got more minutes under his belt after coming on as a second-half substitute.
He completed 90 minutes for the first time in what proved to be Francesco Guidolin's last game as Swans boss and then, having come off the bench, scored his maiden goal in last weekend's defeat to Arsenal. 
"I'm really happy to be playing again and to be part of the team," Borja says.
"That's what I wanted, and I hope now there will be more matches and I won't have any more injury problems.
"Getting injured just after arrived was hard because I came here desperate to play in the team, to train, to help.
"The injury came at a really bad moment and it was a difficult month for me after that, but from now on I hope everything goes well and I can be in the team without any issues."
Borja's attempts to get used to life at a new club have been aided by the presence of three other Spaniards on the playing staff.
Admittedly, Fernando Llorente is still finding his feet too, but in Jordi Amat and Angel Rangel, Borja has two compatriots who know all about life at the Liberty.
And he is well aware that he is the latest in a line of Spanish players who have worn the white jersey.
Roberto Martinez became the first Swan from Spain when he arrived from Walsall back in 2002.
After Martinez was made manager five years later, the floodgates opened, with the likes of Jordi Gomez, Pablo Hernandez and Michu all enjoying spells in SA1.
Borja, who has begun English lessons, admits Swansea's Spanish connection helps.
"I knew Jordi before coming here and I knew that Swansea has helped many Spanish players who have had a great time here," he says.
"It's a different kind of team, too. I know this club is known for trying to play more beautiful football and we are all trying to keep on that track.
"As far as the language goes, I kind of understand everything that people say to me in English if they speak slowly, but every time I have a doubt there's a colleague who can give me a hand, so I'm not having any problems adapting.
"It's a different way of life here - a huge change. But luckily I came with my parents and my girlfriend so having them here makes it easy for me.
"Also, everyone is really helpful, the city is being good to us and we're grateful for that."
Borja acknowledges that the style of football is different in this country from what he is used to, but feels he will quickly acclimatise.
"I think football is more intense in the Premier League and I think the fans live it in a much more passionate way," Borja says.
"But at the end of the day it's football and it's the same everywhere, it's played with a ball and 11 against 11."
A long-term target for Borja is to follow in Michu's footsteps by landing a call from the Spanish national squad on the back of his form with the Swans.
The former Spain youth international says a senior cap "would be the greatest thing that could ever happen to me", but is aware that competition for places is fierce.
Borja will need to be exceptional to catch the attention of Spain coach Julen Lopetegui given the talent he has at his disposal, but Michu proved what is possible.
And if Borja can emulate the star of Michael Laudrup's Swans side, all in these parts will be delighted.
Michu's goals were central to ensuring the 2012-13 campaign will be remembered as one of the finest in the Swans' history.
With the club searching for firepower right now, the onus is on Borja to deliver.
"I'm keen to play and help the team and if it's by scoring goals, all the better," he adds.
"But I'm keeping myself calm about it. I think we've got a great team to keep ourselves where we are - in the Premier League."
The Swans are well aware that in the Premier League, they must deliver in every area of the field to achieve results.
But having said that, the presence of a regular goal-getter can be the difference between a grim season and an enjoyable one.
In his last three seasons, Borja has scored a total of 50 league goals in barely 100 appearances.
Should he manage that sort of return in the Premier League, the Swans should be fine.
"I scored 18 goals last season and hopefully I can do something similar this year," Borja says.
"Last year was a great season for me. This season I've been unlucky to miss a month and a half already with injury.
"What concerns me the most right now is to start playing regular football with the team, to fully recover and get my match fitness up.
"When that happens, I think the goals will come."