Norwich City's club-record signing Ricky van Wolfswinkel broke his La Liga goal drought during the midweek 1-0 win at Las Palmas that should keep his current loan club Real Betis in the top flight this season.

The 27-year-old, who is currently on a season-long deal at the Spanish club, struck during a second-half cameo that moved Juan Merino's squad into mid-table, 11 points clear of the bottom three, with four league games left.

The Dutch international has made only five La Liga starts for Betis since sealing a move from Norwich in the closing days of the summer transfer window. Van Wolfswinkel's winner was his first since firing a Copa Del Rey brace in a 3-3 draw at Sporting Gijon in December.

The Spanish club negotiated a buy-out clause in their loan deal for the frontman, who is under contract at Carrow Road until 2017, but was heavily touted with a return to Sporting Lisbon last summer.

Van Wolfswinkel spent last season on-loan at St Etienne after failing to establish himself in the Norwich line-up under a succession of different managers.

The striker scored on his Premier League debut in 2013 during a 2-2 Premier League draw against Everton but added only one more goal in a limited number of senior appearances for the Canaries. His last Norwich goal was the winner in a Capital One Cup 2-1 success at Rotherham in August 2015.