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Everton confirm signing of Thierno Barry from Villarreal
By Patrick Boyland
Everton have completed the signing of Villarreal forward Thierno Barry in a deal worth an initial €32million (£27.5m), plus bonuses.
Barry has signed an four-year contract on Merseyside and is Everton’s second signing of the summer after the permanent addition of Carlos Alcaraz from Flamengo at the end of his successful loan.
As reported by The Athletic on June 8, Barry, 22, travelled to Merseyside to complete a medical after a holiday in Miami, following his participation in the Under-21 European Championship with France.
“For me, it is a dream to play in the Premier League,” Barry told EvertonTV. “I think I proved in my career so far that I can adapt. For example, last season I went to LaLiga, which is a top league, and I think I had a good season for my first season. I’m not scared to play here and do the same.
“I think the fans here are, like, crazy people… I like this!” he said. “I like to score for these people. I just want to play here, score and enjoy it with the fans.
“On the pitch I always give 100 per cent, I always want to score, I always want to help the team to win. This is my character. For me, this is my meal, my food. When I score, I’m very happy.”
Barry also said he has had positive conversations with manager David Moyes, with the 62-year-old keen to strengthen the squad in his first summer window since returning to the club.
“We will give him plenty of time to settle in and we are looking forward to getting started working with him as soon as possible,” said Moyes.
“I’m hoping to make more additions in the coming weeks.”
Everton have been looking to strengthen their forward options after the departure of Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract. Their interest in signing Barry to compete for minutes with Beto in the coming season was reported in the DealSheet in June.
Everton were reluctant to trigger the forward’s €40m release clause and negotiations were complicated by his participation in the U21 Euros.
The Merseyside club only scored 42 goals in 38 league games last season, the lowest of any of the 17 clubs that were not relegated, despite finishing 23 points above the relegation zone in 13th.
Calvert-Lewin left the club as a free agent at the end of June, parting ways after nine years and 71 goals.
Barry joined Villarreal on a five-year deal from Swiss club Basel last summer after spending his youth career at various French clubs.
The forward registered 11 goals in 37 appearances in his first campaign in Spain as Villarreal qualified for the Champions League in 2025-26 with a fifth-placed finish in La Liga.
Barry featured in every game for France at this summer’s U21 Euros, making one start and scoring once as France reached the semi-final. He has made eight appearances total for the youth national side and is yet to break into the senior team.
Proactive Barry took La Liga by storm
Analysis by Thom Harris
Barry is tall, quick, and relentless in his running. Only one player across Europe’s top seven leagues — Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis — has made more runs in behind per 30 minutes of team possession in 2024-25, illustrating Barry’s eagerness to attack whenever his team has the ball.
Barry is strong in the air too — only two La Liga forwards have taken more headed shots than him since he joined from Basel last summer — but there is an element of chaos to the 22-year-old’s all-action game. He often opts for power over accuracy in front of goal, even taking to social media to apologise to playmaker Alex Baena after a 2-1 win over Real Valladolid for not converting all of the chances he slid his way.
When he gets it right, however, Barry is difficult to stop. This thumping volley away at Getafe highlights his ability to hold up the ball, as he scraps with full-back Juan Iglesias and barges past two more in midfield before instantly looking to stretch the defensive line. He gets on the end of Ayoze Perez’s chipped pass and smashes home first time.
Barry’s tally of 11 goals in his first La Liga season is strong, the quantity and the variety of chances falling his way a direct result of his head-on approach.
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