CONOR MCLAUGHLIN is confident he can get his career back on track after dropping down a level to sign for Sunderland.

McLaughlin joined the Black Cats on a two-year deal earlier this week following his release from Championship side Millwall, having struggled to make much of an impression in the second tier.

The Northern Ireland international made just six league starts last term, but prior to that, he had impressed at League One level with Fleetwood Town.

He was named in the League One Team of the Year in his final season as a Fleetwood player, and is convinced his experience of life in the third tier will help as he prepares to embark on a new adventure with Sunderland.

“I’ve played at this level before with Fleetwood, and we almost got promoted, so I’d like to think I’ll be good at this level,” said McLaughlin, who has already met some of his new team-mates at the Academy of Light. “I like to get forward, and I like to think I’m composed on the ball.”

Having been released following the end of his previous contract at the New Den, McLaughlin began the summer on international duty with Northern Ireland.

He was an unused substitute as Michael O’Neill’s side beat Estonia and Belarus, but by that stage he was already aware of Sunderland’s interest in securing his services.

There was the suggestion of alternative offers from the Championship, but once the Black Cats’ desire to take him to Wearside became clear, his mind was made up.

“I’ve known about the interest for a few weeks now,” said McLaughlin, who is set to battle Luke O’Nien for Sunderland’s right-back spot. “I was away on international duty for a couple of weeks earlier in the summer and things started ticking away, but when I returned from Northern Ireland, things really sped up from there.

“It sort of took the decision out of my hands as soon as I heard there was interest because it’s a massive club that deserves to be much higher up the divisions and I will be doing all I can to help get it there.

“I was massively impressed (by the facilities), not many clubs have access to this and obviously I’ve been aware of Sunderland over the years when they were in the Premier League for a long time. It’s a massive club, and I’m delighted to get the chance to come here.”

Being on international duty with Northern Ireland meant he was able to discuss his proposed move with Will Grigg, and the Sunderland striker was quick to urge him to follow his own lead and agree to a switch to the North-East.

“I’ve been speaking to Will over the past few days, and he’s only had good things to say about the club,” said McLaughlin. “I didn’t need any reassurance anyway, but he had nothing but good things to say.”

McLaughlin became the first senior player to join Sunderland this summer when he put pen to paper on Monday, but the Black Cats have also recruited 20-year-old Algerian goalkeeper Ahmed Abdelkader to join their Under-23s team.

Abdelkader, who started his career as a youth player with Guingamp, had a trial at Leicester City last season, and has played senior football with Cypriot side ENAD Polis Chrysochous.