Thierno Barry
Over recent months, Everton supporters have been crying out for a new centre-forward to increase the chances of success under David Moyes.
Beto, who was one of the club’s main attacking options last season, was allowed to leave to return to Italy and join Fiorentina for a fee in the region of £17m.
Such a deal was sanctioned after a deal was agreed with Monaco for the signature of Folarin Balogun - only for the American international to reject a move at the 11th hour.
REUTERS/Manon Cruz
As a result, Moyes’ men have been left light within the final third, as he can only rely upon one senior option to lead the line until January at the very least.
Why Barry needs to be replaced at Everton
Theirno Barry is now the only senior centre-forward option available to Moyes and has since assumed the role of Everton’s starting number nine in the Premier League.
High hopes were placed on the Frenchman after arriving for a reported £27m last summer, but it’s safe to say he’s struggled to match the hefty fee paid for his signature.
Thierno Barry
The 23-year-old has only netted nine top-flight goals within his 42 appearances, subsequently averaging a goal every four and a half games he’s featured in.
He’s been largely criticised by supporters for his struggles on Merseyside, with his lack of quality once again being evident during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Wolves.
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Most PL G+As for Everton (2025/26)
Player
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Beto
Iliman Ndiaye
James Garner
Thierno Barry
Jack Grealish
James Tarkowski
Idrissa Gueye
Barry featured for 58 minutes of the contest at the Hill Dickinson, but could only register 22 touches of the ball - subsequently registering fewer than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
However, despite his lack of activity in possession, it still saw him struggle to deliver when having the ball at his feet, as his missed two big chances - the most of any player on the pitch.
In what had become a familiar story with the Frenchman, he was caught offside on two separate occasions, whilst failing to be in the right place at the right time.
How Everton can land a mega Barry upgrade for free
Despite the summer transfer window being closed for a couple of weeks, Everton still appear to be desperately on the hunt for added attacking reinforcements.
Over the last couple of weeks, a whole host of experienced free agent options have emerged on their shortlist, with the likes of Anthony Martial appearing as a transfer target.
Anthony-Martial-Manchester-United
Manchester United forward Anthony Martial.
The Frenchman has been a free agent since leaving Mexican side Monterrey in June, with a possible move back to the Premier League seemingly on the cards.
However, he’s not the only free agent to appear on the Toffees’ radar as of late, with former Galatasaray man Mauro Icardi also touted as another possible option.
The Argentine left the Turkish outfit at the end of last season after spending four years at the club, but could still prove to be an effective option in England’s top-flight.
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The 33-year-old ended last season with 14 goals in just 31 Super Lig appearances, subsequently registering nearly two times more league goals than Barry.
Such numbers demonstrate his excellent ability to deliver the goods in front of goal, with his underlying stats further proving why he would be an upgrade on the Frenchman.
Previously labelled "one of the best strikers in the world" by Gennaro Gattuso, the Argentine has enjoyed a 20-plus goal season five times in the last ten years.
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Mauro Icardi in action for Galatasaray.
Barry has only ever achieved such a feat once in his professional career, with such a campaign coming back in 2022/23 for SK Beveren in Belgium’s second tier.
Despite entering his final years as a professional, Icardi still managed to outperform the current Toffees star last season - subsequently placing more of his efforts on target in 2025/26.
His 43% shot-on-target accuracy placed the Argentine in the top 9% of strikers in Europe - which would hand Moyes’ men the added quality they have been hunting for.
Icardi’s quality within the final third was further evident by his chance creation tally, which saw him provide 1.3 chances per 90 for those around him in front of goal.
Barry has been unable to emulate such a quality during his time on Merseyside, with a deal for the former PSG man handing a superb all-round presence in attacking areas.
mauro-icardi-galatasaray-man-united
A deal until the end of the current campaign could be a perfect deal for all parties, with the Argentine able to hand Moyes the added attacking quality he craves.
He could even arrive at the Toffees and replace the Frenchman in the starting eleven and potentially make himself a fan-favourite should he deliver the goals.