Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn insists manager Steve Bruce will have money to spend this summer.
Having sold midfielder Jordan Henderson and striker Darren Bent this year, Sunderland chairman Quinn has promised the club's passionate fans new faces this summer.
He said: "It's a tough start but the journey begins again and it promises to be interesting.
"We're looking to build an exciting squad to meet the challenges to come - and I'm confident we will do that.
"As a club, we are exploring a number of buys and have spoke to a number of players and agents.
"There's a real sense of excitement now and I hope the fans will get behind us and back us through the turnstiles. There's plenty to look forward to."