OPINION
It has been a season of disappointment for Everton after a summer transfer window that promised so much, and the Toffees must be smarter this time round if they want to push up the table.
An outlay of around £140million saw nine new players arrive at Goodison Park and hope emerged among fans for a special season under Ronald Koeman.
Seven months later and the Toffees find themselves in mid-table under the management of Sam Allardyce, with their season seemingly drifting to a close already.
One area that has been massively lacking this season has been in defence, with summer signing Michael Keane failing to live up to expectations alongside the ageing Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka.
It is clear that Allardyce, or whoever is manager this summer, will need to recruit a new centre-back, and there is now a golden opportunity to swoop for a perfect candidate.
As reported by The Sun, Burnley are bracing themselves for offers for Ben Mee, who has stalled on signing a new deal at Turf Moor.
The 28-year-old will enter the final year of his contract this summer, and the Clarets are keen to tie him down to a long-term deal, but may have to field offers around £20million for their star man amid the stand-off.
Everton must pounce for Mee, who has become one of the Premier League’s most consistent defenders this season as Burnley have taken the top-flight by surprise.
The left-footed enforcer, who is a former Manchester City academy prospect, has shown that he is ready for a step up in competition, and Everton would offer a good chance for him to do so.
With just one year left on his deal this summer, a fee of £20million has been mooted, and that is a brilliant price for a proven Premier League performer.
All in all, it is a no brainer for the Toffees, who need to overhaul their back four if they want any chance of breaking into that top six.