Football: Royal Blue - Blues must heed words of Arteta and improve squad; Spaniard's ambition needs to be matched.

Byline: DOMINIC KING

THOUGH they are not words of which the maligned trio Nick Barmby, Francis Jeffers and Once a Blue Always a Blue would be proud, the sentiments were enough to send internet conspiratory theorists into overdrive.

In a web chat earlier this week, Mikel Arteta was predictably posed a number of questions by anxious Evertonians with regards his future plans.

Linked with moves to Liverpool and Manchester United, supporters fear this season's sparkling gem is planning to walk away from Goodison Park.

Aware he was spotted at Old Trafford on Good Friday, the ever-helpful Arteta was quick to assuage concerns he had tied up a deal to follow You Know Who down the M62 this summer after being dazzled by the prospect of regular Champions League football.

As his displays have illuminated grounds across the country, he has been asked numerous times about his intentions since the turn of the year. On each occasion the answer has been the same, as the Spaniard re-iterated to those who had logged on.

"Yes I will be here next season," said Arteta, hot favourite to be named Player of the Year when the campaign ends. "I am really happy here and I have a lot of care for this club and the people here.

"I really appreciate how the club and the people have been with me from the first day so it is not on my mind to leave. I was only there [at Old Trafford] to watch the match. There was nothing sinister in it. I just like to watch football."

What followed, though, were the words that should be enough to ensure the hierarchy do not rest on their laurels. It was certainly not an ultimatum nor was it a ploy to engineer a pay rise for himself, it was just an observation - one it is hoped everyone shares - that improvements need to be made.

"I hope we will be making promising signings to progress because I don't want to be here just thinking we will finish 10th or 12th next season," he said.

"That doesn't make sense at a club like this. I am very ambitious and the club is as well. We need to improve the squad and be right in the decisions we make. Hopefully we will have the chance to be up near the top again."

Those who watched a young, vibrant Tottenham Hotspur side dismantle Everton last Saturday will be fully aware of the results that can be achieved if calculated gambles in the transfer market are made.

Would anyone be surprised if Martin Jol's men emerged as serious title contenders in the next couple of years once they have matured? Exactly.

Jol may have made some mistakes in the transfer market - Gregor Razsiak, for example. But, Edgar Davids aside, the theme has been consistent. Jol has gone for young, hungry players whose best years will be ahead of them.

In fairness to manager David Moyes, he has tried to do the same during his spell in charge of the Blues and has lowered the average age of the squad significantly since in that period. His signing of Arteta last summer mirrors Spurs' approach.

Is pounds 6m or pounds 7m - the figures being floated around in some areas as to what Moyes has available for signings this time around - going to be enough to get Everton back challenging in the top half of the table again or just the right amount to cover losses from the current playing staff?

With the right investment on and off the field, there is no question that Everton have a platform from which to launch an assault on the top six again - Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers have shown that it doesn't take transfer fees the size of telephone numbers to do that.

There is no suggestion that Everton's board are settling for mediocrity - they are trying to pull off a balancing act to give Moyes sufficient funds while ensuring the club does fall back into the financial black hole it was in not so long ago.

Yet Arteta's sentiments should serve as timely reminder for one and all - the time between May 7 and August 12 should be used fruitfully. Fail to do so then they must be prepared for the consequences.

EVERTON legends with almost 2,000 appearances between them will turn out together at a Sportsman's Dinner at St Basil's Club in Hough Green, Widnes, on Thursday, May 4.

Howard Kendall, Colin Harvey, Brian Labone, Gordon West and Roger Kenyon are the star attractions, along with top comic Frankie Allen.

Tickets cost pounds 15 and are available on 0151-424-7155, and a donation will be made to Alder Hey from the proceeds.

CAPTION(S):

KEY MAN: Mikel Arteta has pledged to stay at Everton

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Title Annotation:	Sport
Publication:	Liverpool Echo (Liverpool, England)
Date:	Apr 22, 2006
Words:	799
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