Meet Thierno Barry: Everton’s Key New Forward and Record-Breaking Signing

€30 million transfer fee

On Wednesday, Everton announced their second signing of the summer transfer window, officially bringing Villarreal center forward Thierno Barry to the club. According to Transfermarkt, the Merseyside outfit will pay an initial fee of €30 million for the talented striker, with potential add-ons bringing the total to €35 million. If Everton decides to sell Barry in the future, Villarreal will be entitled to 10% of the sell-on fee. This initial payment positions Barry as the club’s seventh most expensive signing ever, surpassing the €28.9 million paid for Yannick Bolasie in 2016; if the bonuses are realized, Barry could surpass Romelu Lukaku’s €35.4 million transfer from Chelsea, making him the fourth most costly signing in Everton’s history.

With the addition of Barry, Everton’s summer spending has now reached €45 million, following Carlos Alcaraz’s €15 million transfer from Flamengo. However, given the size of the transfer fee and Barry’s lesser-known profile in English football, both fans and analysts may question the club’s decision to invest such a significant sum in the young forward. So, who is Barry, and what led David Moyes and his team to allocate a large portion of their summer budget to him?

Who is Thierno Barry?

Everton supporters might not be familiar with Barry, as last season marked his first full year in one of Europe’s premier leagues. He joined Villarreal last summer for €14 million after a standout season at Swiss club Basel, where he scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 37 appearances. That had also been Barry’s first season with Basel, coming from Belgian side SK Beveren the previous summer for just €3 million, where he netted 20 goals and assisted four more in 33 matches. Now, having netted 19 goals and assisted four during his time at Villarreal, Barry is making his fourth club move in four years and is ready to take on the challenges of the Premier League.

“Although he faced some challenges adjusting at the start of the season, Barry’s performance notably improved in the latter months, culminating in 11 goals and four assists, impressive statistics for a 22-year-old in his first major league season,” commented Transfermarkt’s Area Manager for Spain, Ivan Turmo. “He is a classic center forward, leveraging his physical strength, spatial awareness, and aerial threat. His attributes make him well-suited for English football, combining his youth with his physical prowess and his impressive output as a Villarreal player.”

Despite his notable success in LaLiga, the substantial fee Everton paid for the young striker may raise eyebrows. Much of the price can be attributed to Villarreal’s unwillingness to let go of a player they consider integral to their Champions League ambitions. The sale of Alexander Sørloth to Atletico Madrid last season and Nicolas Jackson to Chelsea the year before highlights the club’s struggle to retain its star strikers, necessitating Everton’s sizable investment for Barry.

“Villarreal was adamant about not parting with a striker they view as crucial to their future, as CEO Roig Negueroles emphasized in a recent interview,” Turmo explained regarding the hefty transfer fee. “As a result, this is a lucrative deal for Villarreal, who will profit significantly less than a year after acquiring him at half the price.” While this might place Villarreal in a challenging situation, it also highlights their success in identifying valuable strikers. “This indicates that Villarreal has become a productive source of talent,” Turmo noted. “After Barry’s transfer, five of the club’s seven largest deals have involved strikers.”

Whether Barry can replicate the success of Jackson at Chelsea in the Premier League remains to be seen. However, there’s no denying that Everton has signed a promising striker who has excelled at each of his previous clubs over the past three seasons. In every instance, he has demonstrated an impressive ability to adapt and rise to a higher level. If he can achieve similar success with Moyes’ squad next season, the investment may soon be viewed more favorably, potentially regarded as a bargain.