Wolves boss Mick McCarthy today reflected on his transfer business and insisted: “I’ve got my first choices with all my new signings”.

McCarthy has snapped up five permanent arrivals for £18m, a club record spree for a summer.

Adlene Guedioura, Steven Fletcher, Jelle van Damme, Steven Mouyokolo and Stephen Hunt have all arrived to boost the squad, while Geoffrey Mujangi Bia has returned on a season-long loan.

Up front, Aruna Dindane was due at Wolves for a medical before news of Molineux interest in Fletcher surfaced. Dindane spent the season on loan from Portsmouth from Lens before moving to Qatar.

But McCarthy revealed Fletcher was always his first pick as he attempted to strengthen his Premier League survivors.

“Steven Fletcher was my first choice, despite trying to sign Aruna Dindane,” said McCarthy. “We couldn’t try to sign Fletcher (at that time) because the season wasn’t over, whereas we knew Dindane was leaving Portsmouth.

“We had to wait to get permission to speak to Fletcher, but like Stephen Hunt, Steven Mouyokolo and Jelle van Damme, they were all my first choices.

“I’d been to watch Jelle at Anderlecht and decided on him, so it was already on-going. We’d planned and got it all lined up.”

McCarthy earmarked van Damme for the left-back position after watching him in action earlier this year.

A year on from promotion, Wolves have managed to steal a march on their rivals by doing virtually all their business early as other clubs flounder in the market.

Blackpool have struggled to add to their numbers. They have taken Francis Jeffers on trial even though he was released by relegated Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.

But McCarthy said: “Jeffers wouldn’t be the first player rejuvenated by a move back to the Premier League.”