Season › 2024-25 › News Thierno Barry: What will he bring to Everton? Harry Diamond 09/07/2025 11comments | Jump to last Everton have completed the signing of Thierno Barry from Villarreal for a fee in the region of £27m. The 22-year-old arrives with a growing reputation, tasked with filling the Dominic Calvert-Lewin-sized hole in David Moyes’ squad. Barry’s move to the Premier League continues a rapid rise for the forward, who has climbed from French football’s fifth tier to the Premier League, via Belgium, Switzerland and Spain, in just three summers. Everton’s interest emerged after an impressive single season with Villarreal, where Barry scored 11 times in La Liga during his first campaign in a top-five European league. The Yellow Submarine had snapped up the striker from Basel, after Barry had opened the 2024/25 campaign with eight goals in four games for the Swiss side. But what can Barry bring to Everton? A towering target for Everton attacks The obvious observation about Barry is his size. At 6ft 5in, the Frenchman fits the profile Moyes has often sought to lead the line. It’s a frame that Barry has used to good effect. Though just three of his 11 La Liga goals came via his head last season, he has proven to be an elite option in the air. Both Calvert-Lewin (4.75) and Beto (5.81) averaged more aerial duels won per 90 than Barry (3.84) last season, but it’s the success of those duels that marks Barry out as outstanding in the air. His 67.3% success rate was the second highest of any forward across Europe’s top-five leagues last season and comfortably superior to Calvert-Lewin (51.2%) and Beto (48.5%). If that can translate to the more physically demanding rigours of English football, Everton will have a real asset in both boxes. In terms of chance conversion, Barry’s 2024/25 numbers rank almost identically to Beto, with both in the 61st percentile of forwards across Europe. Calvert-Lewin, frustratingly inconsistent in front of goal, was in the bottom 8% in comparison. But, at five years younger than Beto, there will be optimism that Barry can refine his finishing and the raw data is promising. Already, he’s scored 61 goals in 130 career club appearances across four different countries. Beto’s encouraging upturn last season means Moyes now has two options he can trust in attack. Though similar in stature, the two differ in style. Beto’s best has often come amid a desire to run in behind. His movement can be a throwback, causing chaos for defenders who have become accustomed to forwards wanting the ball to feet. Barry’s combination of tall frame and willingness to receive short can provide Everton with a different outlet. He has repeatedly shown an ability to take the ball in deeper areas of the pitch, spin, and surge into open spaces. Last season, the Frenchman ranked in the top 14% of all forwards in Europe for carries into the final third and in the top 22% for progressive carries and carries into the penalty box. Beto, in contrast, was in the lowest 40% on each of those metrics. Barry’s willingness to drive with the ball also leads to a high number of fouls won. He averaged 1.98 fouls won per 90 in 2024/25, among the highest 11% of forwards. Beto, again, was in the bottom 50% of his positional peers. Given Moyes’ demand for high cross volume and set-piece threat, coupled with Barry’s own status as an aerial target, the numbers offer encouragement as Everton look to improve their attacking output. Only the three relegated sides scored fewer goals than the Blues last season. Caution, however, should be urged. Barry remains raw and with clear weaknesses in his game. His decision-making must improve to take the next step, while his defensive contribution from the front is another area to work upon. Everton will hope Barry can be more Romelu Lukaku than Moise Kean, two players signed at similar stages of their respective careers. While Lukaku went from strength to strength, Kean’s obvious talent was not fulfilled in a blue shirt. Memories of that remain vivid. The raw ingredients with Barry are there, and, crucially, he should be granted the time required to settle. Both Everton’s and Beto’s end-of-season form should allow the new arrival an adequate adaptation period. What is clear is that Barry has the potential to be a statement signing, a promising talent plucked from a Champions League club. In a summer where there’s plenty to do, he is an exciting acquisition. Reader Comments (11) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Mike Gaynes 1 Posted 09/07/2025 at 18:13:41 From Paddy Boyland and Thom Harris in The Athletic:There is a sequence in Villarreals 3-1 win against Las Palmas last season that highlights Thierno Barrys promise.The striker is facing his own goal, midway inside his own half, with a defender right on his back. The two grapple for possession, tumbling to the turf, but Barry is quickest to react, beating his opponent and another covering Las Palmas player to the stray ball.From there, he races, socks rolled down, to the edge of the penalty area, sending another defender, Alex Suarez, to the turf with a shoulder barge, before calmly setting up Nicolas Pepe for the opener.It is not always slick, but stopping Barry in these moments feels like an ordeal. His 6ft 5in (196cm) frame, ability in transition and eye for a pass, witnessed in that goal against Las Palmas, mark him out as a unique proposition.Everton have been aware of the Lyon-born striker since the 2023-24 season, when he was a raw yet promising talent at Swiss side Basel. Now 22, he is still refining his game, but his displays in his sole season with Villarreal in La Liga saw his name move up scouting shortlists. By the second half of the campaign, he had emerged as a regular one to watch alongside Nick Woltemade, Stuttgarts 23-year-old striker.The comparison between Barry and Germany international Woltemade is interesting in the sense that they are very different players. Both are tall strikers with an eye for goal, but Barry looks to stretch the oppositions defence while Woltemade is better in tight spaces, with the ball played to his feet. The question for Everton manager David Moyes and his staff to answer was whether they wanted another striker closer in fit to first-choice Beto or a point of difference.Barry, who made eight caps for France Under-21s, is not afraid to get physical. Everton ended up plumping for Barry, largely due to his ability to dominate the box and stretch defences.The clubs internal data showed a player with an elite physical profile who should work well in Moyes system, while having a high ceiling in terms of future development.There is an acceptance on Merseyside that he will require time and patience as he acclimatises, but also a belief that he is ready to share minutes with Beto next season.Talks took place over the past month and it has taken time to get to the point where Barry is now an Everton player. His Villarreal deal, signed when he joined from Basel for an initial €13.5m (£11.6m; $16m) last summer, contained a hefty release clause of €40m.Everton started negotiations looking for a significant discount on that number but both parties are likely to see the final figure of €32m plus bonuses as a happy compromise.There was confusion at times. Towards the end of last week, noises from Spain suggested a deal had been reached between the clubs. The insistence on Merseyside was that progress had been made, but certain details were still to be ironed out.The fee does not appear to have changed much, if at all, in the intervening period, but the suggestion since has been that the clubs were haggling over the structure of the deal and when certain amounts were paid. Barry cut short his holiday in Miami, after representing France at this summers European Under-21 Championship in Switzerland, to travel early this week for a medical on Tuesday and complete a move. In Florida, he had trained with soon-to-be team-mate Carlos Alcaraz and former Everton loanee Jack Harrison.Everton will be pleased to have finally signed a top target and bolstered their forward line after the departure of Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a free agent. They were aware of interest in Barry from England and some Champions League clubs, but they did their groundwork with the player and his camp. Moyes sales pitch, where he outlined his interest in working with the Frenchman, helped convince him Everton was the right club.Now player and club will hope the switch pays dividends. Steve Shave 2 Posted 09/07/2025 at 18:47:39 Welcome, Barry! Delighted with this signing! ✍️ Clarence Yurcan 3 Posted 09/07/2025 at 18:53:25 I'm Back Billy Bradshaw 4 Posted 09/07/2025 at 19:17:45 Clarence @ 3, back from were? Jay Harris 5 Posted 09/07/2025 at 19:27:53 Pleased, now let's get on with the fullbacks and wingers with a goalscoring midfield general thrown in. Daniel A Johnson 6 Posted 09/07/2025 at 19:28:57 Looking at the Crystal Palace news about dual ownership, where does it leave us with Roma?? Danny O'Neill 7 Posted 09/07/2025 at 19:42:42 We've done that one on various threads, Daniel.But just to repeat, there are compromises and UEFA can approve it as they have done for both Manchester Clubs.In simple terms, as long as the owners don't have direct control over day-to-day decision making, a waiver can be approved.If we have different boards, then it should be fine. It might mean Dan Friedkin stepping aside as Chairman of wither club, but TFG would still be owners of both.That's how I understand it. Craig Scott 8 Posted 09/07/2025 at 19:46:37 Thanks, Harry, for providing a well-researched piece on this player with good supporting stats. The sort of information we need to know to get an idea of his prospects.Interesting comparisons with Beto. I'm hoping he will turn out as a definite upgrade. Daniel A Johnson 9 Posted 09/07/2025 at 20:46:09 Cheers Danny and apologies didn't see any threads on the subject. Ged Simpson 10 Posted 09/07/2025 at 21:08:29 No thread says man posting on it!Just fun! Ged Simpson 11 Posted 09/07/2025 at 21:12:09 Fair point Danny and better understanding than my daft head can grapple with Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb