Earlier this week, Everton finally secured the signature of striker Thierno Barry in a £27m deal from Villarreal.
David Moyes has been working to get this one over the line, and there is no doubt Barry could become a major hit on Merseyside next season.
Everton manager David Moyes
The supporters will be hoping that the Frenchman isn’t the only attacking player to arrive this summer, especially as Moyes will be looking to drag Everton back into the top half of the Premier League table.
Recent news suggests Moyes might be close to signing another player. Could he be an even bigger talent than Barry?
Everton hold talks with Manchester City starlet
According to Football Transfers, Everton are aiming to finalise a move for City starlet James McAtee after they held talks with his representatives earlier this week.
West Ham United are also keen on securing his signature, and the youngster could cost Everton around £30m should he choose them.
The next few weeks could be interesting indeed, as McAtee certainly appears to be a man in demand. If Moyes is able to wrap up a deal sooner rather than later, he could transform the club’s attacking department.
England's James McAtee applauds fans after the match as Harvey Elliott looks on
Furthermore, McAtee would turn out to be an even bigger talent than Barry over the next few years.
Why Everton must sign James McAtee
For Villarreal last season, Barry scored 11 times in La Liga, going on to grab four assists also, as he established himself as one of the best young forwards in the division.
McAtee may have only played 27 times for Man City last term, with only nine of them coming in the starting XI, but he still managed to find the back of the net seven times.
James McAtee's statistics at Man City last season (PL only)
Goals
Assists
Key passes per game
Big chances created
Successful dribbles per game
Shots per game
Via Sofascore
He also shone for England at the recent U21 European Championship, scoring once and grabbing two assists as the country retained their title. Barry also featured at the tournament, but he managed to score just once as France were knocked out at the semi-final stage.
McAtee also averaged 1.7 key passes per game, while averaging 2.3 shots and 36.3 touches per match at the competition. Barry, on the other hand, could only muster 0.4 key passes, while averaging two shots per game, and 13.2 touches each game.
While the former Villarreal starlet was clearly close to his best last term, considering his displays in La Liga, it is evident that McAtee has yet to truly blossom.
Given that Pep Guardiola once hailed him as a “special talent”, once he finds a team that is willing to utilise his skills on a regular basis, the Englishman will be unstoppable. Indeed,
james mcatee-1
The pair would combine to great effect next season should Moyes secure a deal with City, but given their respective ceilings, it is McAtee who has the potential to be the bigger talent. Indeed, managing to poach such a player from an academy like Man City's would be truly exciting.
Everton could be a team to be feared next season, especially should a move for McAtee go through in the coming weeks, that’s for sure.
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