Cherries new boy Tommy Elphick is targeting an immediate return to the Championship after becoming the latest addition to the Goldsands Stadium revolution.

Brighton's Elphick today penned a three-year deal with Cherries for an undisclosed fee – believed to have been in the region of £200,000.

The 24-year-old defender, who is Cherries’ seventh summer signing, has spent his entire career with the Seagulls and starred in their 2011 League One title-winning campaign.

Elphick told the Daily Echo: “This club is hungry for success and all the players have a common purpose – getting into the Championship. I am fortunate enough to have done that and know what it takes. I wouldn’t have come here if i didn’t think we could do it.

“You need to be consistent because it is a tough league. This club has assembled a good squad and it isn’t as if they are going for it with just 11 players. The lads will realise that everyone is going to play a part over the course of the season.

“It is important to go into every game trying to win because, if you sit back in this division, there are dangerous players who will hurt you. It doesn’t matter who we play, we have got to take the game to them.”

Elphick, who was also a target for Portsmouth, missed the whole of last season after rupturing his Achilles at Notts County in May 2011. He worked through the summer building up his fitness and has featured in three of Brighton’s pre-season friendlies.

“I have been a fan myself and it is frustrating when you see players who are always injured,” said Elphick. “But I have had one injury in my career. I am probably 95 per cent back to my best and the only way I will get back to 100 per cent is by playing.

“When I returned for pre-season at Brighton, my personal aim was to play as many games as possible. I knew I would start behind the other three centre-halves because they all had a great season. It was a case of whether I looked to go on loan and then come back around Christmas.

“Bournemouth expressed an interest but, when I spoke to the manager, he said they were keen on doing something on a permanent basis. Seeing the direction the club is going, I don’t think it is the worst thing in the world for me to get out of my home town and start afresh.

“I just want to start training as soon as possible and then it will be up to the gaffer. He has got four or five very good centre-halves so it is going to be competitive. If the gaffer calls on me for Tuesday, I am sure I’ll be ready.”

Elphick, whose brother Gary plays for Eastleigh and whose father Gary is a racehorse owner, is unlikely to feature in Cherries’ final pre-season friendly against Bristol City today (3pm).