Thierno Barry: What will he bring to Everton?

There is a sequence in Villarreal’s 3-1 win against Las Palmas last season that highlights Thierno Barry’s 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, Stuttgart’s 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 opposition’s 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 club’s 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 summer’s 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.

Delighted with this signing! ✍️

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.

Interesting comparisons with Beto. I'm hoping he will turn out as a definite upgrade.

Just fun!

He's at Everton now, so he won't get as many free kicks given in his favour.

Not enough Barrys in today's football.

Welcome my man! May your Blue phase be a productive and artful one.

I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

We can't afford to be sitting in the bottom six come December with Beto still first choice because of Dithering Dave. I wonder if in some games, he will have Beto and Barry up front together, as in, "Unlock the power within and make a statement with the New Double-B Monogram: The symbol of a True Boss!"

For all you fashion gurus, Double-B is Hugo
Boss's new logo. Barry & Beto, the new Double-B.

You point out that Beto‘s strength is running in behind.

I saw a statistic somewhere that, across Europe's seven top leagues, Barry was number two of all forwards in running in behind.

I've only seen Barry play twice, but that statistic supports my visual impression that they are similar in style — both love to attack defenders off the ball.

Our manager I feel, is very sure about what he want's and I won't be surprised if he signs a tall midfielder in the Fellaini mould.

He has three very good centre-backs and a very good option from the bench in Keane.

With the signing of a right winger (Tom Fellows) and right back (Kyle Walker-Peters) he will have a lot of options.

I think he and therefore us will surprise many next season by getting us in the top half.

Beto, Chermiti and Baz are all 6 foot 4. Love it !

"Not enough Barrys in today's football."

Let's hope he's like Barry Scott (?) and Cilit Bangs them in, one squirt and the R S are gone ! :-)

I think, as it stands, Moyes will stick with the 4-2-3-1.

Even during his first tenure, he mostly preferred one striker in his then favoured 4-5-1.

So, I am assuming it will be Barry or Beto (interchanging between the two), with Alcaraz as the supporting striker (Number 10), with Ndiaye and McNeil either side.

Without going overly thoughtful, that is more like a 4-2-2-1-1.

That doesn't give us much width from the 3, as both Ndiaye and McNeil are inclined to cut in, so that will have to come from the full backs, which makes an attacking right back the next priority in my opinion. Unless we are looking at a right winger.

BTW, what happened to Simon Harrison?

I'm just glad we've signed a young player with potential, for a decent fee after so long of scraping around the bottom of the barrel.

Now for a full back who can attack as well as defend.

But he got pretty bloody with other people, and it would appear that's why he got locked out. Nothing to do with me.

Moyes will gradually move him into selection because of his youth and the fact he has no Premier League experience. That is the Moyes way, as he stated a couple of months ago.

Funny, I was told by a friend that we had definitely signed him last week but could only find fringe rumours. I just updated at the time he would be a really good signing.

Paul Ferry hopefully will be back. I have been banned numerous times. Came back on my daughter's e-mail.

Same goes for Simon, though he may have got fed up. Hope both are well, including the Woods (Euro and Brazil). Also my good friend Fearns.

Additionally Darren Hind.

He gives some stick out at times but just like Darren Hind, who has also just been mentioned, I also think he helps to keep things interesting.

Not everyone’s cup of tea, but is anyone?

Coverage of Spurs and Saints and Arsenal and Chelsea transfers, and of course the RS. Not a word about us.

The price is pretty decent though in ideal world we would have got him last summer for £13m and then loaned him to a side like Villareal, saving ourselves 20 odd million in the process. Still, I think there's a decent chance he's a £60m striker in three years time. Fingers crossed.

Barry is a supreme athlete who has the skills to develop into a Lukaku, Osimhen, Drogba level of striker. He's an extrememly hard worker and will make runs in behind all day long. Moyes' style should suit him down to the ground and him and Ndiaye should be lethal on the counter, especially if we can add a right-winger with searing pace.

But he will probably take some time to adapt. Like Beto he will look clumsy and chaotic at times and I expect that the Portuguese may well start the season. It will be interesting to see if Moyes tries Barry on the wing or even as part of 2-striker attack at times.

It's not ideal to have a £30M striker on the bench when the squad is still developing like ours and I can see why some posters were suggesting selling Beto to replace him with a more versatile forward (who can play wide or as second striker) but I can't see that happening unless we get a really high offer from him which is unlikely.

He will definitely go down well with us Evertonians, Sam, so I just hope your observation, along with Mike's, rings true.

Reading the article on Evertonia, and listening to the coach that nurtured him, he apparently works incredibly hard, is always wanting to learn and improve. And, again, according to the coach, likes to run between the full backs and centre backs, as well as being a "menace" in the air.

We can never say, but a young player with potential to develop. It sounds and feels promising.

I am expecting a fullback, two midfielders and a right winger of high quality plus back-up players. Hopefully deals are nearing completion on some of these players. This is such an important window.

In an ideal world we'd follow it up with the likes of McAtee and Hutchison / Bakayoko and a new RB like Wesley - all young, but all plenty of games under their belts and international recognition (either full honours or u21). They could all form the basis of a good side for the next 5 to 10 years.

Alongside all this it is pleasing to see the possible demise of West Ham and Wolves - since losing Kudus and Cunha respectively will be tough for them. Hopefully replacements are not on the way.

Lee and others, yes. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing and having different viewpoints. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, nor do I agree with everyone. As long as it stays civil, it's fine with me.

I think it's when it get's a bit personal and persistent targeting of individuals that the editors have to step in. Not an easy job.

I actually found Paul Ferry okay personally. Likewise, Darren Hind, once we'd settled our spat and differences over Ancelotti!! He was / is a tough audience, but he knows his shit about Everton and football.

Colin Crooks was interesting, but again, it's easy to manage a conversation.

I would add Brian Murray to that list. He's become a good friend.

I've had much more fierce debates with my brother and son over Everton than anything I've had on here and they are massive Evertonians!! It's just they grew up in the 90s and 2000s. One was 5 when we last won a trophy and barely remembers it. The other 5 months old and obviously can't recall it. According to them, I'm deluded.

Maybe Michael and the editorial team could sanction moving them out of the sin bin, or a Steve McQueen like cooler and grant them probation?!!

I appreciate it's a tough call as they have to consider the reputation of the website and to my knowledge, this one is widely recognised as one of the best. Not just by Evertonians, but by other supporters, hence we see the odd few pop up on here.

As for Darren Hind I for one still miss his input. I do not blame him for no longer posting as he was constantly hounded by several people for whatever he posted. He never got personal and just tried to answer the point.

It's a shame some of our more outspoken posters have disappeared from the site (including Lyndon) and although the odd reprimand was appropriate for some extreme posts, it's a great pity some well known names are no longer involved either by choice or banned. In truth they are missed.

I also hope that it is the end of mediocre signings who took the piss, eg, Maupay, amongst others.

Hmmm. Just measuring the diameter of a penny.

Yup. As I suspected.

Not big at all then.

Unlike Barry, at 6ft 5".

I know nothing about him.

Why the hell not I here you all ask, shocked.

Truth be told I pay no attention to all the windy guff and floaters in the gossips. We have also failed on so so many occasions.

None are worth a click until they are here.

I welcome the lad with open arms and then a handshake that is firm enough to reinforce my greeting.

Now I hope Moyes will play a different style that suits him.

Not hoof it up to the big man and under no circumstances get around him. DO NOT Support him and win that second ball.

Like we have perfected or the last three decades etc

Obviously the promoted three will struggle, Brentford will miss Frank, Man Utd will still be entertainingly shite and Forest might drop back without Elanga and a couple of others.

Who else… Brighton? I think other teams have worked them out, I think they might struggle. The rest, as you were. Definitely room for us to move up into the top half and build from there.

If Dominic would have missed the chances Beto missed at both Brentford and Liverpool, he would have been absolutely slaughtered by many, but putting the ball in the back of the net isn't easy, and it's why we haven't had a 20-goal-a-season striker for almost ever.

I like the thought of McAtee, and then a wide player with pace, because the more quality a team possess, should usually take the pressure of the centre-forward. We will see.

Thanks for the light penalty Michael.

I wouldn't have been aware of this if you hadn't replied to me Dale, but I can see why one of Mike's was removed because it definitely had mixed messages if I remember correctly!

If Beto isn't good enough, then the only players who are are good enough are probably Pickford, Branthwaite and Ndiaye.

All subjective obviously.

If it's a team challenging for honours then it could be argued very few of them are.

Not many in our squad actually have any medals, do they? Gana at PSG and maybe Mykolenko in his Ukraine career?

I know it's not that simple, but it's definitely an indicator (just like the fact that not many of our players have scored a lot of goals).

And I think Mike deserves whatever take he posts, for what that's worth.

And Tony, you will be there. It is happening.

Interesting comment Robert. As Liam says, good enough for what?

I try not to continuously revert back to the 80s, but can't help myself.

Winter 1983. Times are hard. Everton are in dire straights. The natives are restless and that's a polite way of putting it. Kendall must go was the message from a lot of supporters.

I was only 12 and couldn't see a way out, but my Dad told me to pray in Church and that he could see something in the team. I was too young to see it, but I did pray.

Into 1984 and it clicks. 5 months later and we go from relegation to finishing 7th, I've been to Wembley twice and seen us lift a trophy.

As I, and others keep saying, it's about the ingredients that make a team. We already have the base and will build on it throughout the window.

We don't need a team of world beaters, just a team that can compete for Europe and one of those domestic trophies. For now.

Speaking more generally on that subject, I guess much comes down to our subjective expectations. Some would turn their noses up at Gallagher (even if he would be our best player, or one of) some get excited at a raw and lanky striker who is 21.

Personally, I am looking at squad quality in terms of what we need to move forwards, to finish higher than we did last season. With a view to doing so year on year until we are back where we belong. Progress should be considered, careful and well planned. I can see signs that TFG might just be what we needed in this regard.

So with that view in mind, I agree with a poster above that it's not just Pickford, Branthwaite and Ndiaye who are good enough. That Alcaraz, O'Brien and Barry are possibly going to progress to be on par.

I'd argue that Gana is still a Rolls-Royce player. That McNeil and Garner are talented squad members who can change a game and can push for a starting berth. Plus we are likely to buy two players who can immediately improve the side at right-back and right-midfield. Suddenly, things look different.

Some might say that is optimistic, it's all about perspectives and opinions, though, isn't it? I believe if we get this recruitment drive right, we can push Top 8 — which only an idiot would be dissatisfied with given the shite we've been dished up.

Three things changed for that squad: 1) Adding Harvey to the coaching side; 2) Older players adding confidence and belief; 3) Winning a trophy in 1984.

Winning gives confidence, which is why I have never understood our reluctance to take the domestic cup competitions seriously. They also guarantee European football.

If we are to build a sustainable platform, then building a strong Academy pipeline is the way forward. Plus we will certainly buy 1-2 more experienced players despite them not having resale value – I thought the enquiry for John McGinn was a great idea and a pity we couldn't persuade Aston Villa to sell.

The stick can become a bit much sometimes mate, something I don't see the point of or particularly like, considering that most people on this website have never even met each other.

I sometimes used to smile at the old Michael though and think it's a good job he's in charge, considering some of the shite he's coming out with, but that was just my own personal opinion about a man who has probably stopped this website from sinking into oblivion since it changed hands, and why I wrote about cups of tea in an earlier post.

I hope I'm still here, Dale, I was half watching the television the other night, previewing the upcoming Oasis concerts, and I think it was Liam Gallagher, who said exactly the same thing about Manchester City when he was talking about just being around to see them lift one trophy.

Good enough to win us a trophy? Something you can achieve by only having to peak in a game every few weeks.

We have had some very good players before. Look at the young players we had under Martinez, but still we fell short, for different reasons.

The next few weeks are massive, let's just hope we sign a few players who are really good enough.

Aston Villa, Leicester City, Spurs, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Birmingham City, Swansea City, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Wigan Athletic and Portsmouth have all won domestic cups since 1995. It is shameful that Everton have reached one domestic cup final in that 30 year period.

Net investment was not the main factor for the success of the teams in cup competitions. It was giving the cups priority and approaching key matches with the best players available and a winning mentality.

In this aspect, I hope Mr Moyes changes his approach from his last tenure as Everton manager.

If you are comfortable in a midtable with a good sized squad by all means go all out for a cup otherwise be cautious.

Imagine if Kendall would had that mindset?

Resting players in the cups should only happen to a club like Everton if they ever get close to winning doubles and trebles again. When Moyes was alleged to be doing a great job at Everton, then that's when our mindset changed.

Clubs like Brentford, Brighton and definitely Forest could well struggle. Forest have some Elanga and soon Gibbs-White. Add to that Europe and you can pretty reliably expect their league form to be a problem.

Ours on the other hand should improve on last season. Albeit a low bar to improve on.

Where did we finish, 15th or something? I predict top 10 and comfortable mid table obscurity - something I've personally craved for several years!

Yes you could see that confidence building with each round round we progressed in both cups and especially in the 1-1 home draw against Liverpool in the league when we stood up to them and let them know they were in a game and only a missed penalty stopped us from winning — other factors stopped us from winning in the League Cup Final and even in the replay we matched them when the game could have gone either way.

While it is well known that Moyes failed in repeatedly away games to to the top teams all the time he was here the Shrewsbury cup away was the real sickner- —Shrewsbury were relegated from the football league at the end of that season!

I know football has changed but you only win when you really want to win, which is the real point I was trying to make with regards Raymond, even though I understood his sentiments.

Then you get away with some less than stellar starters (Mimms, Snodin, Langley, Adams, Clarke, Wilkinson etc)

Ian Snodin was different from the others in that we paid a big fee for him part way of the season and he went straight into team. The others were squad players.

There are some names up there.

Ian Snodin chose us over Liverpool and although signed as a midfielder, played a lot at right back, and very well.

Neil Pointon. Deputy to Van den Hauwe and a moustache to rival Derek Mountfield's.

Bobby Mimms. Decent goalkeeper, but how daunting must it have been stepping in to replace Neville Southall?

Signing Paul Power raised an eyebrow or two, but turned out to be a shrewd addition. That was another great moustache.

And we mustn't forget Alan Harper and Kevin Richardson. Absolutely key to our 80s success. But once Howard's first choice 11 were fit and available, they were out, no matter how well they had performed.

Kendall MK1 may have come across as a nice guy, but had a ruthless streak. Forget the trophies, his master stroke was bringing Colin Harvey in as assistant / first team coach. Another who took no prisoners or excuses.

Dave @65, winning breeds momentum, which breeds winning. It's why I get annoyed when we don't set up with a strong team in the early rounds of cup matches. Go out, get the game won, then rest if you can. Not the other way around and end up chasing the game.

Reminds me of a girl I used to know who left a lasting impression on me.

That has been the case for the majority of the last 30 years. Only Roberto Martinez really targeted the domestic cupmcompetitions.

Danny, Tony, Dave, I agree completely that the winning builds confidence and it starts with the right mindset.

I suppose if the question is which of our players now would be good enough to play in, say, the Quarter Finals of the Champions League (as per Villa this season) and / or get us into the Champions League - then the answer probably is just Pickford, Branthwaite and Ndiaye. Some of the others could become good enough (like Barry, Alcaraz and O'Brien). Many of the others plainly aren't good enough for that level - but they can be solid / unremarkable Europa League standard players.

I agree with the wider sentiment that we should be going all out for the cups each season. Although the squad is very small / patchy it should have improved by the end of the window and we should be moving away from annual relegation fear. None of this resting people for the cups business. We need to win a cup; we need to play in Europe.

Interesting all but one of those clubs were relegated and some like Portsmouth down to the old 3rd Division.

When you do that, you will realise that going 30 years without a trophy for a club like Everton is almost a criminal act.

While we might want an Iraola or Frank (maybe Glassner) to inspire a well-assembled squad, Moyes is likely the best fit for reinstalling the crucial Everton values.

Win a trophy and qualify for Europe. Two trips to Wembley, maybe three if we progress in both competitions.

I may be an delusional idiot, but this drought will end soon.

Nearly every single team plays out from the back now, and everyone talks about playing high and pressing, but it’s not written in stone, even though it probably looks like it is.

Although I think 4-4-2 can still be used, I'm not sure it works all of the time in the modern game in my opinion. But it still can have a place when appropriate.

Moyes, and a lot of other managers over the past decades, have preferred to play with one striker.

If I was guessing, the only way I could see us playing two up front, would be a back 3, with 5 across the midfield. But I don't think we have the wing backs as it stands.

Sometimes managers / coaches, will set up to match the opponent in a like for like. To me, that can sometimes result in a game of chess, cancelling each other out.

I'm not going all American football, where they have an offensive team and a defensive team, but I do like flexibility in formation rather than set up like a subbuteo team. So it can switch depending on whether we are attacking or defending. It takes a lot of running though, back and forward as play changes.

Personally, for now, I can't see the manager deviating too far from the 4-2-3-1 we've been using mostly to effect since he was appointed and changed the tactics and confidence in the players.

Just make the most of the players you have got in your squad and play a system that suits them🤞

How many times do you watch football and think that teams are more worried about the opponents, rather than trying to concentrate on their own strengths?

I loved it for one reason, because it meant I always had teammates close to me, although if my memory is correct I was one of those greedy little bastards who hardly ever used to pass the ball to anyone!