James hopes Ancelotti's Everton can sign more 'big names'

James Rodríguez hopes other big name signings will join him at Everton as they target a strong 2020-21 season. James joined the Premier League club from Real Madrid for a reported 21.6 million euros earlier this month in a huge coup for Everton.

The Colombian playmaker is reunited with Carlo Ancelotti, who coached him at Madrid and Bayern Munich, as Everton look to improve on last season's 12th-place finish. The 29-year-old hopes there is further growth to come at Goodison Park.

Everton are going places

"We can't afford to be up and down in our performances. It helps obviously when you've got a great and hugely knowledgeable manager that we have," he said, via the Liverpool Echo. "The club has proved its intent with the three signings it's made in this window and let's hope that, in the next few months, we can show that optimism. Let's hope over the period of seasons and the next few years, other big names will come in to join us."

James is one of four new arrivals at Everton, with Allan, Abdoulaye Doucouré and Niels Nkounkou also signed. The Colombia international hopes Ancelotti's side can push for a top-four finish, something they last managed in 2004-05.

Consistency key to top-four finish

"There are some serious-minded people at this club who mean business about getting this club into those Champions League places and that's very important, I think. Obviously you have to fight hard to get in those places and what you have to do is show consistency. In a Premier League season you're talking about a game every three or four days a lot of the season, so you have to show a high standard and display a high standard of football not just every other game, but every game. We need to be consistent and perform at our highest level if we want to be up there fighting for those top places," he said

Everton begin their Premier League season away at Tottenham later this evening with the game kicking off at 17:30 CEST.