Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka has admitted there is a dearth of Premier League experience in his new-look squad and picked out Alvaro Negredo as a key player to help address the problem.
Negredo joined the club on a season-long loan from Valencia and, along with Victor Valdes, is one of the most high profile players to arrive at the Riverside Stadium during the transfer window.
Karanka has bolstered his defence by signing full-back Antonio Barragan and centre-back Bernardo Espinosa, while attacking midfielder Viktor Fischer gives the Spaniard added dynamism going forward.
The 42-year-old manager, who is embarking on his third full season in charge of Boro, said of his new additions: "For me it is not about the names, it is about the performances and the attitudes.
"The main thing is those names are here because they wanted to come here. For sure they had other offers, better in terms of money but they wanted to come here, they wanted to join this club and play in the Premier League with us.
"It [the squad] is much stronger [than last season] but we have to be careful because not many of them have Premier League experience.
"We have names but football is about the team and the table. For this reason it is a good headache for me every single week."
Negredo scored 23 goals in 49 appearances for Manchester City, where he won the league in 2013-14, and Karanka reckons the 30-year-old will have an important influence on his team.
"I was really pleased when Alvaro Negredo came here because he knows this league and has played at the top level," he said.
"In the Premier League it is all about results. We have new players and one year in front of us to keep working and keep going."
