IVO Pekalski is looking to get cracking as quickly as possible for Oxford United after joining midway through the Swedish league season.

The midfielder flew to England yesterday and signed a two-year deal, which has the option of an additional 12 months, after the U’s agreed an undisclosed fee with Halmstad.

Pekalski watched last night’s Carabao Cup first-round tie against Cheltenham Town, but unlike a couple of other overseas additions this summer, he arrives match-fit.

The Swedish Allsvenskan campaign began in April and the 26-year-old has made 15 appearances, saying farewell with a 6-1 victory against Jonkopings Sodra on Saturday.

He said: “Of course you have to learn (about) the teammates and the club, but my ambition is to be ready whenever the coach wants me.

“I love football and I want to play as much as I can and as well as I can.

“I will be doing whatever it takes to be prepared for every game.”

The new arrival has two people at United he already knows from his time at Malmo.

U’s boss Pep Clotet was a coach at the Swedish club in 2010, when they won the league title. Also in that team was left back Ricardinho, who joined the U’s last week.

Pekalski, who describes himself as a box-to-box midfielder or a deep-lying playmaker, has spent a decade as a professional in Sweden, but has long held hopes of playing abroad.

And after missing out on a chance to leave his homeland earlier in his career, the opportunity to join the U’s was too good to turn down.

“I was looking for something which could be a big challenge and an adventure,” he said.

“Especially when you’re younger you have dreams and ambitions.

“It hasn’t been specifically only England, but I’ve been wanting to go out because I feel I have the potential to do something good abroad.

“Many years ago there was interest from other clubs in Italy, but it didn’t go through.

“I’ve had a lot of experience in Swedish football, ups and downs in my career and I feel that this step is perfect for me at this stage.

“I’ve heard a lot about Oxford’s ambition to progress, to go up, and I think it’s really interesting.”