McLeish believes the 29-year-old will prove to be a bargain for the Premier League side.
“He’s been on the radar for a couple of years now but I think perhaps the price put people off before,” said boss McLeish. “We think we’ve got him for a decent price.
“He’s got several attributes – he can take the ball and he’s got very good control.
“I’ve seen him at Santander and with the national team and bits of footage from Valencia and always been impressed with him.
“He’s not someone who’s come from nowhere, he’s got a bit of pedigree and we believe he can make a big impact in England.”
