New signing James Rodriguez believes Everton “mean business” and is confident they can end their long wait for a trophy.
The Toffees’ high-profile capture arrived on Monday from Real Madrid to be reunited with manager Carlo Ancelotti for a third time, having previously worked with him at the Bernabeu and Bayern Munich.
Rodriguez arrives with huge expectations on his shoulders, despite a career which has failed to live up to his reputation over the last few years, and he thinks they should be in a position to win silverware for the first time since the 1995 FA Cup.
“Why not? It is a club that means business,” said the Colombia international.
“There are a lot of serious-minded people at the club at all levels who mean to achieve and that means winning trophies.
“That won’t happen overnight but I have seen real positive signs we can make progress but I think trophies are more than a possibility.
“I am the sort of person that always wants to achieve more and more in my career and my life.
“It is a new league I am coming to and an important big one but I am also the sort of person that learns things every day.
“I am a curious sort of guy and I learn things on a day to day basis.”
Rodriguez arrived to a huge fanfare with the club projecting his image onto Colpatria Tower, the tallest building in Colombia’s capital Bogota, Times Square in New York and Miami Beach in addition to Goodison Park and the Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool.
Everton claim their marketing activity reached more than 400 million people globally – Rodriguez is the eighth-biggest sports star on social media in the world with 95.8million followers – and there are already huge expectations on the 29-year-old.
It is a pressure he is happy to embrace.
“It is great for the club and nice for me also that there is so much interest but I don’t pay so much attention,” he added.
“I am here to play football and focus on my game. I am here to learn, focus on what I need to do and play well.
“I have seen the fans are proper fans, full of passion and when players see the fans are so passionate we want to give even more to make them happy.
“I have sensed that affection and I want everyone to know it is mutual, from me to them as well.”
Ancelotti is confident he can bring the best out of the playmaker once again.
“We can expect him to show his quality. He has a lot of quality and I am sure he is going to show it in the Premier League,” said the Italian.
“It is a fantastic competition and he deserves to play in it. He has experience in different leagues and I am sure he is going to show the quality he showed in different countries.
“I know the player well, I work with him a few years. He did really well with me. I have a lot of confidence.
“He is a fantastic player and a fantastic professional. I am sure he is going to do his best for Everton.”
Off the pitch Everton have submitted amendments to the planning application for their new 52,888-capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Changes, announced last month after feedback from various consultations, will see the introduction of a new stepped plaza for the West Stand, the removal of the multi-storey car park, relocation of solar panels to the stadium roof to provide disabled parking and a reduction in the overall height of the stadium, which sits on a World Heritage site.
Liverpool City Council has to review and process the amended planning application before its formal public consultation period, which means an anticipated start date for the build has been pushed back from autumn to early next year.
