Mignolet happy to compete

Mignolet happy to compete

Published Jul. 7, 2013 3:15 p.m. ET

Ricky van Wolfswinkel is in no doubt he can plunder plenty of goals for Norwich City and is not fazed by his hefty price-tag.

Canaries boss Chris Hughton has signed the 24-year-old Netherlands international striker for a reported £8.5million from Sporting Lisbon.

Hughton believes the signing of Van Wolfswinkel could be "the one that turns some of our draws into wins".

Norwich were short on firepower last season, with the team averaging just over a goal a game in the Premier League.

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Van Wolfswinkel weighed in with 14 strikes for Sporting - the fourth highest of any player in Portugal's Primeira Liga - and notched three in their Europa League campaign.

His transfer fee is almost three times the amount Norwich paid Crewe Alexandra to sign Dean Ashton over eight years ago, but Van Wolfswinkel is not feeling any additional pressure.

"It shows me Norwich have a lot of confidence in me," he said in the Daily Star Sunday. "If anything, I see it more as a motivation.

"I'm confident of scoring goals. That's part and parcel of my job, but the most important thing for me is I am a team player."

Huth has been a regular in the Potters' back four since joining them from Middlesbrough in 2009, but he faces increased competition for a starting spot next season under new boss Mark Hughes.

Although primarily a left-back, Pieters can play as a centre-back, while Muniesa has stated his preference to play in the centre of defence.

Huth told the club's official website: "It's always good to have someone to hopefully improve your game.

"Game on - everyone's place is up for grabs. All the positions that were occupied last season are there to be taken with a new manager. I've got to keep my head together and stay fit and see what happens.

"I've seen both Erik and Marc play on TV and I'm looking forward to meeting them on Monday when we report back."

Huth is raring to go as he prepares to return to training after doing some additional fitness work over the summer.

The 28-year-old Germany international added: "I like to do a bit of hard work before we report back, so next week when we do start officially I won't get the aches and pains that I normally get.

"I personally look forward to pre-season. It's a chance to get away with the lads, we are going to the United States for almost two weeks and to France as well I think. It will be hard work, but it's something to enjoy as well."

Jol has already brought in Venezuela centre-back Fernando Amorebieta, Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng and Holland goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg on free transfers so far this summer.

The Cottagers boss has been heavily linked with moves for Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone and is expected to seal a swoop soon for Wolves winger Bakary Sako, with talks already confirmed by the League One club.

In addition, Jol could bring Cameroon international Eyong Enoh back to west London after the defensive midfielder impressed on loan from Ajax in the second half of last season.

Jol said: "We were quite early getting Amorebieta and the others - we are very happy to have them on board. It's always nice to integrate them, and take the new players away with us.

"We are still working on one or two - we want them going with us as well. There will be one or two coming back, because we had a few loan players. I'll try to get them in now, because 14 players are left and we're still working on five or six players to come to this club.

"Three are already here so that was good, because most of the time you do your business late. This was quite early, so that was a positive sign."

Fulham will play three pre-season friendlies against Costa Rican Primera Division clubs at the Estadio Nacional in the capital of San Jose.

Next Sunday, they meet last season's Verano championship runners-up Cartagines, followed by a midweek clash against Bryan Ruiz's former club Alajuelense who were Invierno champions in December.

The tour concludes with Fulham taking on the most successful club in Costa Rican football history, Deportivo Saprissa, on Saturday 20 July.

The Belgium international joined from Sunderland last month and is not afraid of the battle for the number one jersey.

"That's always what has happened when there's competition," Mignolet said. "I've had competition in Sunderland and in Belgium with the national team.

"It's not only Pepe - there's a lot of good goalies at Liverpool, like Brad Jones for example - and it's not only the position of the goalie where there is competition. It's every single position on the field.

"There are only 11 players who can play and it is something that is normal with being a football player. You have to deal with that. Competition can only make you as an individual better and let you perform better. It can only be a positive thing.

"From the talks I had with the manager and the goalkeeping coach I felt they were very ambitious and the club wants to get forward.

"The signings they'd already done before July showed they really wanted to get going. They want to push on again in the Premier League. It was obvious that they are an ambitious club and a big club.

"I know how big a club this is but I think I'm only going to feel it once the games get going. The first few training sessions went okay. I'm very happy to be here and train."

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