Everton are always on the lookout for more quality, but now, under David Moyes' wing, there is a sense that the Merseyside outfit can target a higher breed of player.
"I can't just accept Everton being mid-table," Moyes said during his pre-Sunderland presser. Now there's an illustration of the Scotsman's mentality, having taken this club out of the pits but already looking at the crest of a hill.
It's been a season-and-a-half since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche, and the gains have been staggering so far. The Toffees are tenth, and with two games left to play, have a small chance of squeezing into a European position.
Everton's Recent Premier League Finishes
Season
25/26
24/25
23/24
22/23
21/22*
Moyes knows that this side can achieve even bigger things, but there's no question that he will need assistance from Angus Kinnear and the powers that be at Friedkin Group this summer.
Everton begin work on Juventus star
Many supporters will eagerly await concrete news of moves for fresh forwards. Will Jack Grealish sign on a permanent basis? Could Moyes push for a goalscorer to rival the raw but talented Thierno Barry?
Defensively, Everton also need reinforcements, and Manchester City's John Stones looks like he's at the top of the shopping list, ahead of the expiry of his contract this summer.
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Everton are continuing to build under David Moyes' management.
There is a romantic scent to the potential move. Stones, after all, left Everton for Pep Guardiola's project in 2016, joining for a £47m fee. One decade later, he fancies a homecoming, but with such a shoddy injury record and astronomical wages, Moyes is considering an alternative.
As per Italian outlet Tuttosport, Everton are interest in signing Juventus centre-back, with the Serie A side willing to consider offers for the 27-year-old this summer.
Federico Gatti for Juventus
The Old Lady have set their asking price at €25m (£21m), ensuring an offer in that region could be accepted.
While this is affordable, it has also opened the gates for rival competition, with Aston, Crystal Palace and Fulham all showing a vested interest themselves.
Why Gatti would be a better signing than Stones for Everton
Juventus are in embroiled in something of a bureaucratic mess at the moment, with the coffers depleted and the club's officials accused of mismanagement.
The door is open for Gatti's departure, especially since he has only started 11 times in Italy's top flight this season. That is not to say that he hasn't provided a glowing endorsement of his qualities, completing 91% of his passes and winning 64% of his aerial duels. For context, Tarkowski has won 70% of his headed battles in the Premier League this year - and he's one of the best in the business.
Described as an "absolute hero" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his success in rising from the fourth tier of Italian football as a 21-year-old and developing into a mainstay at Juventus, Gatti has the physicality, strong defensive skillset and tenacity that comes from years of tireless pursuit for the top.
Stones, of course, is cut from finer cloth, but the romanticism aside, the England international might not be the right fit for this Everton side, who need someone who will make a difference in defence, not just instilling leadership.
John Stones - Titles at Manchester City
Competition
Premier League
21/22, 22/23, 23/24|
|League Cup|5x|17/18, 18/19, 19/20,
20/21, 25/26|
|FA Cup|2x|18/19, 19/20|
|Community Shield|2x|18/19, 19/20|
|Champions League|1x|22/23|
|Club World Cup|1x|23/24|
|UEFA Supercup|1x|23/24|
The 31-year-old has spent so much time on the sidelines in recent years, and given that Tarkowski already marshals the troops across the Hill Dickinson rearguard, someone like Gatti, who can challenge for a week-in, week-out starting berth, could be the perfect pick for this outfit.
Though Stones is among the most talented ball-playing defenders of his generation, Gatti's no-nonsense style may well tailor to Moyes' vision more precisely. In this, he could be the perfect, low-cost signing, with affordable wages besides.
Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti
Though fans are hoping to see flashy forwards welcomed to Merseyside this summer, Moyes is not likely to forget the need for pragmatic defenders too.
Gatti would be perfect in that regard, someone who could make a real difference in challenging for European qualification.