Swansea manager Garry Monk could hand Tom Carroll a Capital One Cup debut after acknowledging why the Spurs starlet has been compared to Luka Modric.
Carroll joined Swansea on a season-long loan from Tottenham last Friday, but did not figure in the matchday squad for the Premier League victory over Burnley the following day as it was considered too soon for him to play a part.
But Carroll and Argentina defender Federico Fernandez, who has received international clearance to play after his 8 million pound move from Napoli, could both make their Swansea debuts against Championship outfit Rotherham on Tuesday night.
Monk wanted midfield cover with Leon Britton ruled out for a month by knee trouble, but he said England under-21 international Carroll had been on Swansea's radar for some time.
"He's a very good footballer who will very much suit us," Monk said ahead of the second-round tie at the Liberty Stadium. "We've watched him, done our analysis over the years, seen him at Spurs and a lot of him at QPR.
"I've spoken to a lot of people who have trained with him and coached him and they speak very highly of him. He can show that good side of football we need because he's good with the ball. He can pass and move and get himself in good positions and I think he'll offer us another option."
Carroll and Modric were Tottenham teammates before the Croatian playmaker joined Real Madrid in 2012 and their styles as creative midfielders has often been compared.
But Carroll, who has made 23 Spurs appearances since making his debut in 2011, had to leave White Hart Lane to gain more first-team experience, first at Leyton Orient and then in the Championship at Derby and Queens Park Rangers.
"I can see why people say that about him and Modric,'' Monk said. "A lot of people will talk about the strength side of the game but it's something we believe in here.
"We've shown over the years with Leon and Joe Allen that if you pass the ball quickly and move quickly it doesn't matter about the physical side of the game. He can improve on that side, but he suits our philosophy and I think he can show what a good footballer he is and we believe he is."
Swansea won the Capital One Cup two seasons ago when Michael Laudrup was in charge and Monk would relish another run in the competition after making a flying start to the Premier League campaign.
Monk is expected to rotate his squad ahead of Saturday's league visit from West Brom, but he wants to keep the momentum going after opening top-flight wins against Manchester United and Burnley.
"It's been a great cup for us and I want us to do well again,'' Monk said. "When you've won two games in a row you want to keep that momentum going and this is the next game for us.
"A cup run gives everyone confidence and we don't want to give anything up easily. We want to fight for everything, every cup game, every league game."