USA goalkeeper Tim Howard has challenged the Everton board to provide the cash that will make him a Champions League regular in time for the 2010 World Cup finals.

The 29-year-old, who is expected to win his 28th cap on Wednesday in a Wembley friendly with England, helped the Toffees clinch a UEFA Cup spot for next season via a fifth-place finish in the Barclays Premier League.

And now he wants the Goodison board to provide manager David Moyes with the funds to bring in players who are good enough to secure Champions League football in future campaigns.

He said: "Nobody wants to be the one to say it but I will - the way football is at the moment you need money. We have had a generous chairman who has given us money. Andy Johnson broke the record, Yakubu broke the record and we have to keep doing that if we are to stay up with the teams that are spending that money.

"It's a sad truth that nobody wants to say but if you look around the world the teams who are at the top aren't the poor ones. We have a good team and a good squad so if we keep building on that we will have quality.

"If we have more depth we will be all right - we can challenge. We finished fifth this year so fourth is the next logical step."