Everton's new acting chief executive Robert Elstone has thrown his weight behind the club's plans to move to a new stadium.
The Toffees are still waiting to discover whether the Government will 'call-in' plans for the proposed new ground outside the city boundaries at Knowsley - a potential £400m development in partnership with Tesco.
Earlier, chairman and owner Bill Kenwright stressed Everton have to move to generate the cash to compete with the top four clubs in English football.
Now Elstone has said: "The economics of the Premier League are becoming more and more demanding.
"It is important Everton keeps pace with the spending powers of our peer group and our rivals in the league.
"To do that a new stadium is critical, and the strongest option available to the club - in terms of affordability and what it can do for us in a business sense - is the one at Kirkby.
"While Goodison is a wonderful old stadium, it does constrain the club financially."
Elstone added he is eagerly awaiting the Government decision about whether or not to 'call-in' the project.
He said: "This is the single biggest opportunity which the club faces and I recognise it is a hugely emotive issue.
"We are still awaiting a decision from the Government on the call-in, which will trigger two different approaches depending on the outcome of that decision.
"Our advisers are telling us the decision is imminent, but we genuinely do not know what it will be and will just have to wait and see. It is frustrating, but that's where we are."
Speaking for the first time since being appointed temporary CEO, Elstone also broached the subject of the club being sold.
He added: "The chairman's position on this is clear. If the right investment came along and it was in the best interests of the club, I would be right behind it."
Earlier, Kenwright had moved to calm worries over the club's summer of discontent, but admitted the Merseysiders do not have the money to break into the top four.
Kenwright has seen his club rocked by a variety of problems since they achieved fifth place in the Premier League last term.
Everton have lost their chief executive Keith Wyness, suffered speculation that boss David Moyes may quit while there have been growing doubts over Kenwright's continued involvement at Goodison Park.
Couple all that to a continued failure to pull off any transfer deals during the summer plus constant wrangling over whether they will be able to move to a new stadium, and Kenwright has felt the need to calm troubled waters.
Kenwright's own future is clearly linked with Everton's attempts to find the investment needed to make a serious attempt to catch Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Kenwright said: "The (ownership) situation has not changed since day one. Certainly not for the last five years, I have been saying it at every annual general meeting since.
"We are looking for investment, we always have been and we always will be and that continues.
"I do look at the clubs that have the Champions League status that brings in millions and have the multi, multi, multi millionaires and the billionaires in them. And I think that is probably what it takes now to get a hugely successful football club.
"There is a part of me that hopes that is not true, of course there is and there always will be that feeling inside me.
"But if you look at that top four and the consistency of the top four, there is a lot of money floating around them and we at Everton do not have that money."
Everton's plans for new signings have not been helped by claims two of their targets are likely to be out of their reach soon.
Sporting Lisbon claim midfielder Joao Moutinho wants to stay at the club, while Cameroon midfielder Stephane M'Bia is about to sign a new contract at Rennes.