SIMON GRAYSON, the new Sunderland manager, is hoping for quick progress in the transfer market.

After being appointed on Thursday, Grayson is in Austria for a five-day training camp with his squad.

And, before his first friendly in charge – at Bury on Friday evening – Grayson wants his squad to be boosted.

One of his first moves was to get defender John O’Shea signed up for a new, one-year deal, while he has also been strongly linked with two players from his previous club, Preston.

Striker Jordan Hugill and winger Aiden McGeady were two of his key players last season at Deepdale and both could be reunited with their former boss.

“Two players I’ve worked with before I’ve been linked with – it’s not going to be a problem attracting players to this club, they have to be the right players with their heart and soul in the club,’’ insisted the North Yorkshireman.

“They have to have a will to win, a never say die attitude. Every club I’ve been at it, a big part has been team spirit – those two have been linked and time will tell what happens.

“I've been very respectful to Preston because they've done fantastically well for me but every football club right throughout the country, if someone offers them money they might sell whether that's Preston, Real Madrid or Barcelona.

“Time will tell whether we go back to Preston but I've got a huge amount of respect for that football club and I don't want to do too much to harm that.

“I've already taken my assistant manager (Glynn Snodin) from there so maybe not too many there.’’

Middlesbrough-born Hugill was top scorer last season with 13 goals and has two years left on his current deal. Preston rejected a £1.5m Ipswich Town offer last season for the hard-working targetman who spent time on loan at Hartlepool United two years ago, scoring key goals under boss Ronnie Moore.

McGeady was named Preston’s player of the year as he spent the campaign on loan from Everton, where his chances of first-team football are limited. He would cost around £2.5m.

Grayson will be also joined at Sunderland by Ian Miller, who has worked under him as chief scout at a number of other clubs.

Miller’s remit will be to find value in the transfer market, after Grayson admitted: “Players have been here for the wrong reasons, now they come for the right reasons – to improve this club.’’

He added: “Once it got announced I was in talks to come here my phone was going … players who have been with me at other clubs, players who didn’t’ know me, agents. I’d like to think recruitment is one of my strengths and we will hopefully move quickly to enhance the squad.

“This club, I want to be proud of. I want supporters to be proud of the club. I’ve left each club I’ve been at in a better state than when I went in – if I do that then I’m sure it will be in the Premier League.

“We will bring players in to improve the squad, different characters, not necessarily household names, but you can do it with desire and a hunger to succeed. They will come here to work hard, not for the money.

“I want players willing to do anything to this club and willing to give this working class city something to cheer about.

“We have a realistic budget – not top, not bottom. I’ve always worked with the best of a budget and as a Yorkshireman I spend money wisely.

“Promotion has to be the ambition, this club needs to be in the next one above. Relegation in the past and it has bounced back. That’s the aim.’’