Chris Hughton insists the passport is immaterial when he attempts to refresh his Norwich City squad.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel's eye-catching arrival later this summer will swell the growing foreign legion who have headed to Carrow Road under Hughton's watch.

Sebastien Bassong, Alex Tettey and Javier Garrido were all enticed to the club during the early part of Hughton's reign, with Kei Kamara and Luciano Becchio signed in January. Hughton, however, is adamant getting the mix right within the Norwich dressing room is the key factor in his strategic planning.

'I have to say it is a very good dressing room. It doesn't really matter where someone is from,' he said.

'Can they improve the squad we have got and more importantly the team? If you are bringing in nice characters and good people that is a wonderful bonus.

'I think you have to look overseas, but it is about the right player – whether from Britain or abroad – and getting the right value and the right individual for what you need.

'Fortunately for us every player who has come in has worked very well within the structure and integrated into the group and they have been helped by the lads here. Probably the ones you applaud even more are the ones who perhaps are not getting the same amount of playing time as they were before and their attitudes have been excellent.'

But even the measured Hughton accepts a club record purchase like van Wolfswinkel causes a few ripples in the wider football community.

'It is a real exciting period for us and I have to thank the club for their support and their ambition on this one,' he said.

'He fits the profile very well in a forward area we wanted to bring someone in. His goal record is good and with his age there is still that development in him. We all know how difficult it is to bring the right player and we know his goals will help us. He is a player who likes to run forward and someone who wants to get into the box.'

Hughton is now keen for the focus to return to the primary business of securing the club's Premier League status, and City's current squad are firmly on message.

'Our focus at this minute in time is not what players are coming in, but the game at the weekend,' said midfielder Jonny Howson. 'That is really about next season,'