Leighton Baines believes Wayne Rooney can help end Everton’s trophy drought.
Silverware has eluded the Blues since the 1995 FA Cup win, with the club reaching numerous semi-finals and losing a 2009 showpiece against Chelsea.
But a summer of unprecedented spending, with close to £100 million worth of additions, has given cause for renewed optimism around Goodison Park.
And Baines, whose goal settled Thursday’s Europa League qualifier with Ruzomberok, feels that Ronald Koeman’s side could end two decades of hurt.
He said: “A trophy is the ultimate goal and I think that is what the manager has come here to do – to push us on to another level, and get us there.
“During my time and in recent seasons we have just been beneath, we have come close a few times with cup finals, semi-finals, trips to Wembley but falling at the final hurdle. So we have to take that step.
“As a fan, absolutely it would be the ultimate. That is going to be the objective with this project that the manager has taken on.
“Obviously with the new owner and with the chairman, that is the objective, to take that next step.
“Everyone understands it will be tough; tough to spend the money, yes we can go out and do it, but everyone else is going out to do it too.
“We have already got a bit of a gap to bridge and we are working on it and we hope to do it.”
Like Kevin Mirallas before him, the left-back identified Rooney’s return to his boyhood club as a vital catalyst in Everton’s renewed push for success.
“I’m fully aware of what Wayne can bring to us and I think he has already shown it in the few weeks he has been here,” added Baines.
“He’s done well in the games he’s played in, he’s got goals in the other games he played in, and he is a big character in the dressing room for us at half-time, before the games and around the training ground.
“He’s someone that you need in the squad. You need a handful of players who have got that personality and character. And he comes in as one of them.”
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