Everton need to be signing Champions League quality players if they’re to break into the top six anytime soon. Well, signing Joao Mario would prove they’re doing just the opposite.

Marco Silva has big ambitions for the club, so it’s important they improve year on year. Indeed, Joao Mario isn’t fit to lace Gylfi Sigurdsson’s boots, so how is that going to improve them? They need to strengthen elsewhere first and leave Sigurdsson’s position alone.

Mario has played 20 times for Inter Milan this season yet he’s only managed one goal and one assist. That’s a terrible tally for a 26-year-old who should be hitting his prime in the next year or so. He’s not the player to take Everton to the next level.

The Daily Mail are reporting they have the chance to sign him for £15m, which isn’t a bank-busting amount, but nobody is saying it is. It’s just £15m that could be spent elsewhere and perhaps added with more money to buy someone of a higher standard.

The central midfielder was a disaster at West Ham last season when he went there on loan. It’s no wonder Manuel Pellegrini didn’t want to make the move permanent. If the Hammers don’t think he’s good enough, then why would he be good enough for the Toffees.

He moved from Sporting Lisbon to Inter for £36m, but since then his valuation has dropped to £18m on Transfermarkt. That says a lot, and it proves Everton would be wasting their money on a player not as good as the ones they have when they need to be improving their team instead.

Everton fans, who do you think your team should sign this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below.