Sunderland midfielder El-Hadji Ba feels ready for regular first team football.
The French midfielder arrived on Wearside last summer but was only a peripheral figure in his first year in England.
"I just want to play as many matches as possible. I'm not looking at anything else," the former Le Havre man told the Evening Chronicle.
"I learned a lot last year - both from the way of training here and from the other players.
"It's a different type of football from France, but I've learned lots.
"It's important for me to keep improving.
"It's good to play alongside experienced players.
"There are certain things that they do which I see and help me to improve - just the little things which you look to take from them and put into your own game."
