MARK Hughes believes Saints’ new signings will ‘stimulate the group’ and raise every players’ game as a consequence.

Saints have so far spent £23m in the transfer window, bringing in Stuart Armstrong from Celtic (£7m) and Mohamed Elyounoussi (£16m) from Basel.

“It’s important fresh faces come in. It’s not necessarily deliberate but as a consequence of players moving on, contracts finishing,” Hughes said.

“There’s an opportunity to bring players in. There’s always a churn at the end of the year.

“It’s good for the whole group just because new faces stimulate the group and players like to show each-other they’re good players, so when the new ones come in the ones here already up their game and the new ones want to impress.

“You’d like to think everything rises as a consequence.”

Hughes has been impressed with the new pair’s attitude, labelling them ‘very humble’ on first impression and admits getting the right personalities in is essential.

Some expensive recent signings have not worked out for Saints but Hughes has no doubt the new duo will integrate well.

“You can’t always get it right but you do as much due diligence as you can. This club do more than most, I have to say,” he said.

“In terms of the two news guys who have come in, the first impressions are that they’re very level, they’re very humble but they’re determined to be successful here.

“They won’t have any problem whatsoever integrating. The key is that they’re good players and when other good players sees good players come into the group my experience is that they are embraced and they’re helped.”

Saints are continuing their work in the transfer window, with a new centre-back high on the agenda.

But Hughes is happy with the business so far, having brought in two players who have won big with their previous clubs.

Elyounoussi (4) and Armstrong (8) have won 12 trophies between them and having players with that winning history is a big positive in Hughes’ book.

“It’s important. The Premier League is a different level for them both but you gain a winning mindset, you get used to winning games,” he said.

“Sometimes, when things start to go against you, sometimes you have to refer back to those memories to get you out of that spiral you’ve been in before.

“It’s good that they’re used to winning. They’re used to high profile games; they’ve both played in Champions League games.

“That will help them because they will face players they faced in the Champions League, so it’s not going to faze them.

“They’ve performed well against Premier League teams in the Champions League, so I’m looking forward to them progressing their careers and developing further because they come to us as very good players but now we’ve got the platform for them to become even better.”