Everton have confirmed the signing of striker Thierno Barry from Villarreal this afternoon, with the player signing a four-year contract to keep him on Merseyside until June 2029.
The 21-year-old Frenchman is coming off a stellar first season in La Liga last season, bagging 11 goals for Villarreal while adding four assists in 35 matches.
He joined the Spanish side after a season with Basel in the Swiss Super League, where he scored nine times in 35 matches, and a season at Beveren in the Challenger Pro League, Belgium's second tier, where he netted 20 times.
While the club noted the player is joining for an undisclosed fee, Patrick Boyland of The Athletic is reporting the deal will cost Everton €32 million initially, with The Bobble calling it a £27 million fee with bonuses.
Either way, the Toffees have their first major signing of a summer that should be full of them, after bringing back Charly Alcaraz after his successful loan stint, extending the contract of Jarrad Branthwaite, and giving new deals to Michael Keane and Idrissa Gana Gueye.
The move for Barry is an exciting one because it appears to indicate a new direction in Everton's transfer strategy. While there may still be some older players that are added to the squad throughout the summer, Barry's addition shows the club aiming for exciting young talent who they can grow into a club that can compete for Europe and trophies in the near future.
And the U21 French international appears to be that type of player you can build an attack around. He's an excellent athlete who knows how to use his 6'5" frame to his advantage, converting aerials at the highest rate among the top-5 leagues for players under 25 and leading La Liga in that category as well.
And with players like Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye on the wings, and hopefully more to come there, Everton are set up to deliver for the new striker and let him do his thing.