The Black Cats returned to the top flight of English football last season after a one-year absence, and under the stewardship of Roy Keane, they survived a relegation scare to finish 15th.

Quinn said he hoped that the club would soon be in a position to expand their current stadium capacity of 49,000, and host Champions League football.

He said: "We had five steps planned when we took over as a board.

"Step one was going up, step two was staying up, step three, where we're at now, was establishing ourselves in the Premier League, step four was competing for Europe and step five was aiming for Champions League football.

"If we keep progressing, if we get to the point down the line where we are knocking on the door to the Champions League, I would have to go to the investors and ask them to commit to a 60,000-seater stadium, to make us the second biggest club in England. And if we get to step five, then I think we will be at the stage where we are pushing to extend."