Sporting director Mauro Milanese does not think Leyton Orient are under as much pressure as other clubs to win promotion this season but insists their ambition is still to challenge for a place in the Championship.

The former Queens Park Rangers and Italian international defender moved to London this summer after being brought to the club by new owner Francesco Becchetti following his takeover. A busy couple of months has seen the O’s sign seven new players, sparking expectations Orient can go one better than last season and win promotion.

But Milanese has played down the burden of pressure on the club and believes there are other teams in the division, such as Bristol City, Sheffield United and Peterborough United, that have higher expectations of delivering immediate success this year.

He said: “I think there is more pressure on the other teams whose budget is higher than us. We know we are a good team and our ambition is to go up directly or through the play-offs. But we also need a bit of luck which was missing last year at Wembley. It is not easy because a lot of good teams want to go up and we didn’t spend a transfer fee.

“I found the club in a very good condition and we will try to take the club into the top six or higher. It is easy to say but hard to do because Orient have played at this level for the last 30 years.

“It is difficult because this league is so long and tough. We want to do our best but we still didn’t spend any transfer fees in the summer, although the salary did increase.”

It has been a transitional period for the management at the club with long-serving boss Russell Slade adapting to working with Milanese. The Italian, who spent a season at Loftus Road in 2005, is enjoying working alongside the O’s boss and is positive about the partnership.

He said: “I go to the training ground every day and work with Russell to help try and make the club better. I try to plan what the team needs, whether that is to look for new players, help with contracts or scout players.

“I am lucky that my relationship with Russell is very good and very positive. It was a bit strange for both of us at the beginning, but we understand each other and want to do the maximum we can to help the club.

“We speak often about players and we are just trying to work to the benefit of the club. Russell knows the players in the league better than me so he makes the right decisions, he has the greater experience.”

Milanese, who spent three years as the director of football at Varese before moving to Orient, said: “The sporting director role is very different in Italy. There is more responsibility and pressure in Italy whereas over here the manager has that. I came here because it’s London which I knew from my time at QPR and it’s maybe one step down to go two steps up.

“I like the opportunity and it would be great if my first season as sporting director could finish with promotion with Orient. I’m very hungry for this challenge.”

The 42-year-old agreed a one-year contract with the O’s but hopes to prove himself to the owner and convince him he deserves to be part of the long-term future of the club.

Milanese said: “If the president doesn’t feel like it’s working, or I don’t then, we are free to go our own way. But I think he wants to always have a sporting director and I am hungry to achieve here and show that I’m good enough to stay for his project.”

Becchetti speaks regularly to the Milanese to get updates on the club as he has spent much of the last few months out of the country. The new owner, who has a base in Rome along with a new home in London, has only attended the opening game of the season but will be at Brisbane Road on Saturday when the O’s face Colchester United.

Milanese said: “I report to the president all the time because he needs people here every day to drive forward his interests. He has a lot of businesses to run outside of the football club but he is hoping to be here more in the future. He wants to be involved and see more games so maybe he will spend more time here.”

Orient’s transfer activity this summer underlined the ambition of the club with the arrival of Championship players such as Jobi McAnuff and Darius Henderson. Milanese insists Becchetti is prepared to invest again, by adding to the squad in the January transfer window, should the team need reinforcements.

The former Inter Milan defender said: “The signings have created excitement and were a sign of intent by the president. But we kept most of the group together because the team did so well last season.

“If we need to strengthen in January then we will be able to invest again. We are able to sign players on loan if we need to and I think October will be a good month to see if we are strong enough to compete.

“The president is very positive and prepared to make more investment but we also have to show that we’re doing the right things and progressing. I hope we don’t need to, but if we do then we can try to make the squad better.”