Everton sign Villarreal striker Barry for £27m

Thierno Barry’s transfer from Villarreal to Everton for £27 million has been completed.

The Toffees’ four-year contract runs until the end of June 2029 for the France Under-21 striker.

Everton negotiated a lower fee for Barry, who scored 11 goals and contributed four assists in 38 games last season as the Spanish club finished fifth in La Liga and qualified for the Champions League. However, Barry had a £34.5 million release clause in his Villarreal contract.

After Dominic Calvert-Lewin left at the end of his contract, he will strengthen Everton’s attacking options.

Barry expressed his happiness on Everton TV. “It’s very exciting to be here,” said one.

“The Premier League’s Everton is a significant club. Romelu Lukaku and Wayne Rooney are two notable players who have played here over the years.

“When I was younger, I liked to watch these players; now I want to like these players who have already gone.”

Armando Broja, a forward who was also on loan, resigned from Chelsea without a permanent deal.

Barry was born in Lyon, and he left French club Sochaux at the age of 19 to join Belgian second division club Beveren.

Barry’s rapid development in recent seasons will be affirmed by a 22-year-old Premier League move.

He left French fifth-tier football just three years ago, and he moved to Belgian second-tier club Beveren in July 2022.

He finished his first season of top-flight football with 12 goals, including 20 goals in 28 starts, to earn a move to Basel a year later.

Villareal was given a 15 million euros (£13 million) for his services in August after a flurry of eight goals in the first four matches of 2024-25.

In addition to the likes of Leipzig’s in-demand Benjamin Sesko, PSG’s Bradley Barcola, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, Barry was one of the elite group of players under the age of 23 who scored 10 or more goals in Europe’s top five leagues last year.

Barry won 66.7% of his 153 challenges (minimum 100 aerial duels), which placed him as a significant threat in the air. He was also ranked second behind all other forwards in Europe’s major leagues (and top of anyone in La Liga) for aerial duel success in 2024-25.

It is a crucial component of Barry’s game for Moyes, whose teams typically receive a lot of crosses into the box.