While the Football Association of Wales has been on the lookout for Welsh-qualified players to strengthen playing resources, Wilkinson stressed that she will only select those who are desperate to wear the red shirt.
“I think we’ve talked about broadening the net and bringing pathway players in and just making sure we’re seeing everyone,” she said.
“At the same time, we can’t lose [sight of the fact] that this is Wales and to play for this country and wear this badge is the privilege of a lifetime.
“Her (Hughes) making that commitment from the start with no guarantees that she will make the team, I think goes a long way to demonstrating who she is and also how important she feels being Welsh is to the group.”
Hughes is the only new call-up in the first Wales squad named since Jess Fishlock’s international retirement, though there are four other uncapped players in Poppy Soper, Annie Wilding, Olivia Francis and Phoebie Poole.
Rhiannon Roberts, Ella Powell, Rachel Rowe, Lily Woodham and Esther Morgan are recalled having missed last month’s defeats against Poland and Australia through injury, but Josie Green and Soffia Kelly are again absent.
Anna Filbey, Alice Griffiths, Lois Joel, Gwen Zimmerman, Scarlet Hill, Amy Richardson and Teagan Scarlett are all omitted having been in the previous Wales squad.
