Sunderland new-boy David Vaughan feels the quality of the Black Cat signings over the summer means a top six finish should be the minimum achievable when the new campaign begins in August. The former Blackpool midfielder has completed a free transfer to the Stadium of Light on a three-year deal a day after Manchester United duo Wes Brown and John O'Shea committed their futures to Steve Bruce's side.
Asked about his hopes for Sunderland this season, he told SAFC TV: "Hopefully, they can move on and build on what they have done in the last few years.
"The signings that we have made over the last few weeks have been impressive, so hopefully we can kick on and at least be in the top 10, if not the top six, teams in the country."
He insisted the lure of the Black Cats' ambition proved enough to win his signature.
He said: "I had a good season last year with Blackpool and there's no reason why I can't do that here.
"Obviously, there is a bit more expectation on Sunderland and the players, but hopefully I can prove to the fans that I'm good enough to play for the club.
"I could have possibly gone to a different club with less expectation, but I wanted to try to push myself and prove that I am good enough to be here.
"It took me a long time to get to the Premier League and I didn't want to drop out after one season, so it was one of the main factors of coming to Sunderland, and the size of the club was also a big factor.
"The club is really well supported and the structure and the training facilities are top drawer, so from a football point of view, it was my best option."