The Toffees had a season to forget as they only managed to ensure their Premier League safety in their penultimate game, registering a meagre eleven top flight wins in total, while having a dreadful away record.
Frank Lampard is looking to bolster his squad in the summer as he wants to implement his style of attacking football at the club ahead of next season and their recruitment department have already started working hard behind the scenes.
But former Toffees star Ball has advised Everton to ensure they bring in new players as early as possible in the summer so as to give them the maximum possible time to settle in at Goodison Park.
Ball explained that Everton, in previous summer transfer windows, have brought in players too late, which resulted in the new boys not being able to be on top of their game from the very start of the season.
“Moving forward over the summer I think what supporters really want to see is, for any new signing, you want them now – you don’t want to see them at the end of pre-season”, Ball wrote in his Liverpool Echo column.
“Everton have done this summer after summer after summer, bringing in players too late who then can’t start the season as well.
“Frank Lampard will want the players he wants but they also have to tick the boxes for the club.
“They have got to be willing to improve themselves, they have got to fit into the Everton DNA.”
Everton are currently in pole position to land centre-back James Tarkowski, who will be available on a free transfer, and have offered him a contract, as they look to beat the likes of Aston Villa to his signature.
