Swansea goalkeeper Dorus De Vries has been brought in, but it is the captures of centre-half Roger Johnson and former loanee Jamie O'Hara which have really lifted the manager's mood.
Both have plenty of Premier League experience, at Birmingham and Tottenham respectively, and McCarthy told Wanderers' website: "I hope there is a bit of optimism around.
"We've signed Jamie, who is better now having had a pre-season, and Roger has made a difference straight away. They look like they have made us better.
"I have seen people putting us in the top ten, I saw the headlines the other day. And I don't see why not.
"We had 40 points last season and we could have had 45-47 - not comfortably, but we could have had it."
Source: Team Talk
Source: Team Talk