STUART McCall today revealed new City signing Jordy Hiwula has been in his sights since he was Motherwell boss.

The striker signed on a year’s loan from Huddersfield last night and is set to get his first run-out against Gateshead.

McCall and joint-owner Edin Rahic had watched Hiwula playing at Guiseley last week. But his interest in the pacy 21-year-old went back to his Scottish days.

The City boss said: “I’d watched him a couple of times at Man City as a youngster. I came to see Devante Cole and asked about taking Jordy to Motherwell but they wouldn’t let him out.

“But I’ve kept an eye on his career since and he scored plenty of goals at Walsall when he went out on loan. I remember him getting one at Valley Parade with a header.

“Huddersfield bought him but then let him out to Wigan for experience. I spoke to Gary Caldwell who said he didn’t play that often but was just getting into how Wigan play.

“He thinks he’s a goal-scorer, especially at this level.

“Jordy can come (short) and link the play but he’s also a good finisher and has got that pace to get in behind defenders. That will give us something different.

“He’s got really good movement and can finish with both feet.”

City beat off competition from Walsall who were eager to take Hiwula for a third spell after losing leading scorer Tom Bradshaw to Barnsley.

Huddersfield paid £150,000 for him a year ago and he is under contract until 2018. There is also the option of a further season in the club’s favour.

But he has played only 25 minutes for the Terriers in one sub appearance in the Capital One Cup at the start of last season.

Hiwula is behind Nahki Wells and recent capture Elias Kachunga, who has arrived on a year’s loan from FC Ingolstadt, and David Wagner is happy to loan him out again.

Hiwula scored nine goals last season with Wigan and Walsall but McCall thinks he can even more productive in a two-pronged attack.

He added: “A lot of times Jordy probably played as a lone striker and wide on the left.

“We are going to play most times with two strikers and I’m sure he will benefit from playing with someone else.

“He knows where the goal is. Even in the 4-0 game here last year, he cracked the bar and Ben Williams made a great save off him.”

City will head straight for Scotland after today’s game for a six-day training camp at St Andrew’s.

Midfielder Nicky Law sees it as the perfect opportunity for the new recruits to bed in – even if it means an early return north of the border for himself.

Law, McCall’s first signing of his second stint in charge, said: “I can’t escape Scotland and the cold weather.

“But those weeks away are huge. You’re together all day and it helps with that team bonding which we’ll need.

“We’ve got a good game as well up there because St Johnstone are always a good test away.”

After adding Hiwula to goalkeeper Colin Doyle and Timothee Dieng, McCall has been pleased with his recruitment in recent days.

He added: “The plan was to try and get a couple in before Scotland and we’ve done that. It’s been a good week’s work.

“We will be looking for another striker as well but it was good to get it done with Jordy.”