Shortly before taking over as Everton manager, Roberto Martinez delivered a now-infamous promise that was largely met with derision by media and supporters alike.
"I will get you into the Champions League," he told chairman Bill Kenwright upon interviewing for the job vacated by David Moyes.
What followed, and the eyebrows it raised, was largely an indication as to Everton's standing in the game at that moment in time. Following years of steady progress under Moyes, a glass ceiling had been reached; the gap between the Premier League's top four and the rest just too cavernous to bridge.
Despite his best attempts, there was, of course, the relative success of fifth place in the Catalan's inaugural campaign in charge- Martinez ultimately failed to deliver on his promise and was relieved of his duties towards the end of the 2015/16 season as the club started to stagnate. Money was an issue, but so too was a lack of foresight on both the training ground and in the transfer market.
Fast forward just over a season and the same aim remains for the Goodison Park hierarchy. Champions League football is still the target for the men from L4, only now times have changed beyond all recognition.
Under billionaire backer Farhad Moshiri, who arrived in February to much adulation and excitement - head coach Ronald Koeman and Director of Football Steve Walsh have set about strengthening a squad that finished in seventh place under the Dutchman.
Just days into the window, five new signings have arrived through the doors for a combined total of over £100 million. In Jordan Pickford, Davy Klaassen, Sandro Ramirez, Henry Onyekuru and Michael Keane, the Blues have not only seriously improved the depth of their resources but also installed a youthful core that could feasibly stay together for the best part of the next decade.
It's a tangible sign of progress driven by financial clout behind the scenes and canny negotiating in the boardroom. The glass ceiling, as it were, has been shattered into pieces.
But with Koeman's stated aim to deliver Champions League football by the end of his three-year tenure, how far away are the Blues from realising that goal this time around?
What must first be said is that each signing in its own right - save for Anderlecht-bound Onyekuru - serves as a significant step up in quality for a team that flirted with a top six finish only to fade away at the business end of the season.
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Pickford, for example, comes as England's most highly-rated young goalkeeper, while in a similar vein, Three Lions international Keane brings value as an imposing defensive presence that is also capable in possession. Further forward, the goals of Ajax captain Klaassen add a different dimension to a midfield sorely lacking in attacking productivity, and the bargain purchase of Spain Under-21 striker Sandro bodes well for a side that had become overly reliant on the fitness and form of Romelu Lukaku.
There is still much to do, though, and although at present the gap between Everton and the rest is smaller than it was just three months ago, it is likely that those ahead of the Blues will also strengthen significantly in the coming weeks. In a sign of things to come, Arsenal yesterday announced the signing of Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette in a club record deal, Liverpool recently brought in forward Mohamed Salah from AS Roma and Manchester City started their summer spending by adding gifted Portugal international Bernardo Silva from Monaco.
Some areas of Koeman's squad are still decidedly bare too, so further additions are probably necessary at both ends of the pitch if Everton are to break into the Champions League positions.
The signing of Keane may provide a boost to an ageing back-line, but with Ashley Williams the likely partner, the Blues could well be caught out for pace if asked to play a high line. Mauricio Lemos of Las Palmas and Internazionale's Jeison Murillo have been the most strongly linked, although a move to sign the latter would be complicated by the Serie A side's reported interest in keeping hold of the Colombian. After missing out to Arsenal for Sead Kolasinac and loaning Brendan Galloway to Sunderland, the addition of a new left-back should also be a priority.
It's in attack, however, that Koeman and Walsh seem to be currently focusing most of the resources. With the return of Wayne Rooney in the pipeline and Romelu Lukaku on his way, speculation is mounting that Olivier Giroud could also join the Moshiri revolution.
"There are no developments in the negotiations between Everton and Zapata, also because I think Everton are today going to finalise a deal for Giroud for £20 million," Everton scout Carlo Jacomuzzi said when asked about striking targets on Italian radio.
While it remains to be seen if the Toffees are capable of persuading the Frenchman to leave the bright lights of the capital for North West England, any deal for him to arrive as Lukaku's replacement would leave Koeman's outfit perilously short of pace in forward areas. As such, links with speedy wide-men such as Leicester City's Demarai Gray make perfect sense if Koeman wishes to attack sides at speed.
And then there's the small matter of Ross Barkley's unresolved future.
Now into the final year of his contract and talks still at an impasse, the Wavertree-born midfielder will be watching on with interest as Everton attempt to lure Swansea City's Gylfi Sigurdsson to Goodison Park. Should Barkley depart, the Icelandic set-piece specialist would be an obvious replacement, but the South Wales team's asking price of a purported £40m does seem prohibitive.
Either way, though, Koeman has repeatedly drummed home the need for more productivity from his forwards and attacking midfielders, with Barkley Everton's second-top scorer last season on just five league goals. Given that the Blues scored 16 fewer than fourth-placed Liverpool in 2016/17, offensive reinforcements are close to essential.
Fortunately, thanks to the money of their wealthy benefactor, funds are in place to do just that. So much so that the next time Ronald Koeman talks about Champions League qualification or lifting trophies, he almost certainly won't be met with the same level of derision that his predecessor experienced. And that may just be the biggest change of all.
