Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will not waste the club's money as he attempts to land his summer targets. Chief executive Steve Walton said: "The club wants to get players in as quickly as possible, but we are also very conscious of the fact that more than anything, we want to get the right players.
"There have been times in the past where this club has maybe rushed into signing players a little too quickly, and both [chairman] Niall [Quinn] and Steve say the priority is to get the right players in, rather than getting players in quickly just because someone becomes available.
"We invested very heavily last summer hoping to make that next step up in the Premier League.
"Steve has his ideas at how he wants to improve the playing squad, and the club will be backing him all the way."
He continued: "Steve and Niall have both been on their holidays and getting some rest, but I speak on the phone to Niall more times than I speak to my wife!
"Both he and Steve have been on the phone, just raising issues or thoughts they are having, and I think it's often the way that when football people finally get away from it all for a bit, they can't help but find their minds turning back to the game again pretty quickly.
"Football never really rests - I learned a long time ago never to take a holiday in the January transfer window - and it won't be long before things crank up very quickly again."
Quinn has always insisted will spend wisely this summer, and that message was reinforced by Walton.
He told the Sunderland Echo: "I don't think there's any doubt that the squad at the end last season was better than the one at the end of the previous season, which was better than the one previous to that.
"The good thing about Steve is that he's from the north-east, he completely understands the area and the club and he knows that doesn't have to re-invent the wheel here in terms of where the club is and what he's inherited.
"We have a squad which proved itself good enough to survive in the Premier League and Steve will look to add to that, but both he and Niall are looking to do that wisely - the buzzwords are 'intelligent buying'."
