Midfielder Ross McCrorie insists the ongoing summer transfer window rebuild must push Aberdeen back to the top end of the table.
Boss Jim Goodwin is rebuilding a squad that slumped to a 10th placed Premiership finish last season.
It was the Reds’ lowest league position since 2004 and McCrorie says that is completely unacceptable.
In a bid to get the Reds back on track the Pittodrie board have splashed out close to £1 million in transfer fees during the window.
Dutch keeper Kelle Roos is the sixth signing of the summer – with more to come.
Roos signed a pre-contract with the Dons and will join from Derby County on a two-year deal.
Also secured are Bojan Miovski, Ylber Ramadani (both MTK Budapest), Liam Scales (Celtic, loan), Jayden Richardson (Nottingham Forest) and Anthony Stewart (Wycombe Wanderers).
Scales and Richardson were the only new signings to make their debuts in the 2-1 friendly defeat of Buckie Thistle.
The other signings will meet up with the squad soon. Miovski and Ramadani are waiting for their visas to clear.
Stewart and Roos will join at the end of this month when their deals expire.
McCrorie, 24, said: “A club like Aberdeen shouldn’t be anywhere near the bottom six.
“It is up to us to put it right and we want to get the top end of the table.
“Last year was disappointing as we were not good enough.
“This season we have our targets for the year that we have set as as a team.
“It is a new season and there are fresh challenges.
“A club like Aberdeen should be aiming up at the top end of the table and that is what we are looking to do this season.”
‘The squad is looking stronger’
Aberdeen boss Goodwin has overhauled the squad and confirmed that there will be more signings before the window closes.
Transfer fees were splashed out on Miovski (£535,000), Ramadani (£100,000) and Richardson (£300,000).
Defender Declan Gallagher departed the Dons on Sunday to join fellow Scottish Premiership side St Mirren.
McCrorie accepts help was needed by strengthening in the summer.
He said: “There have been a few signings which is good to see because we needed new players.
“The squad is looking stronger.
“Steven Gunn (director of football) and the gaffer do the recruitment and they have the faith they are good enough.
“I’m sure they will be good enough to help us and improve us as a team.”
Help needed with new signings
McCrorie accepts the pressure will be on the new signings to make an impact.
However he insists that should be the case for every Aberdeen player, even those that have been established at the club for years.
He said: “Anytime a player comes to a big club like Aberdeen they have to prove themselves.
“Even existing players have prove yourself as well.
“We need help this season and needed to bring players in to improve on last season.
“There has been a big transition as a lot of players are away and a lot have come in.
“We need to improve on last year which wasn’t good enough.”
Pre-season ramps up with Spain trip
Aberdeen fought back from behind against Buckie Thistle to secure a 2-1 win.
Christian Ramirez netted from the penalty spot before Matty Kennedy netted a late winner.
The Reds will now jet off to Spain on Monday for a week-long warm weather training camp on the Costa Blanca.
McCrorie said: “That was the first game back after just over a week’s training and it was good to get the legs going again.
“It didn’t really matter about the result.
“We got 45 minutes in and we are still in the early days of pre season.
“When we go to Spain there will be a lot of fitness work and technical stuff as well to get the ideas across to the new boys and try to get them to settle down.”
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