Play-offs still the target for Sheffield Wednesday’s new recruit Alessio Da Cruz

Owls new boy Alessio Da Cruz with Fernando Forestieri. Pic Steve Ellis

But the 23-year-old – who arrived at Hillsborough on loan from Italian Serie A club Parma last week – has quickly settled into life in South Yorkshire.

A 25-minute cameo, as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Millwall, offered Owls fans a glimpse of his talents.

And ahead of Saturday’s South Yorkshire derby at Barnsley, Da Cruz – who spent the first half of the season on loan at Ascoli – believes he can help Wednesday overhaul a seven-point deficit and return to the top six in the Championship.

“I did good in Ascoli and I was happy to be there, but when this opportunity came I knew for 100 per cent that I wanted to move,” he said.

“Because it’s England, because it’s a big club, Sheffield Wednesday is a very big club, so I wanted to go directly here.

“I want to help my team-mates and then we will see.

“I didn’t know too much (about Wednesday) to be honest, I knew that they played a few Dutch guys, but only that it is a really big club with a really big fan base.

“I think we still have to go for the play-offs, of course. Everything is possible in football, we will not give up.

“It’s been crazy. I was waiting for the transfer, just trained two days and then was directly in the squad, so I was already happy. And then with my minutes I was super happy. I was really glad that I played.

“I think I did okay. I have to get used to the way of playing but I think I did okay. I have much more left to give.

“I just trained with my teammates for two days so it might take a week or something, maybe a little bit more. But it will come for sure.”

Da Cruz showed against Millwall he has pace, enjoys the ball at his feet, and an eye for goal.

“Italian football is not the same as English football,” he said.

“In Italy it’s very defensive, very technical, everybody is behind the ball and there’s not much space.

“Here it goes up and down so you have a lot of space and in behind the defence.

“I think you can say I like to please the fans. The fans come to the stadium to see nice football, so I always keep that in mind.”