Everton are reportedly showing an interest in Karl Etta Eyong – and there may be some concern about this for Thierno Barry.
Everton did not sign a new striker in January, despite a lot of talk during the window.
The Toffees did have their eyes peeled though and there were several links. It was claimed Everton made a proposal to sign Youssef En-Nesyri, but nothing came of it.
Would you rather sign a promising young striker overseas or a proven Premier League centre-forward? 🤔
Everton interested in Levante striker Etta Eyong.
Jhon Duran was also linked with Everton.
In the end, Everton did not sign anyone, and have put faith in Thierno Barry and Beto.
But Everton will surely go after a striker in the summer, and the latest target for the Toffees is Levante’s Karl Etta Eyong – and that should worry Barry.
Karl Etta Eyong’s style of play is not dissimilar to Thierno Barry’s
Karl Etta Eyong playing for Levante.
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
It’s been a tough first season for Barry following his transfer from Villarreal.
Barry signed for a fee of around £27 million, which naturally brings about a bit of pressure straight away.
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Barry did come into some form recently, but has now failed to score in any of his last three matches.
The links to Etta Eyong should concern the Frenchman, because this is a player who does very similar things to him on a football pitch.
According to a feature piece from The Athletic earlier this season, Etta Eyong has a ‘varied profile’.
He ‘can play the bustling, back-to-goal target-man role, happy to use his upper-body strength to shield the ball, while still being generally neat and tidy with one-touch passes into onrushing midfielders to keep his team moving up the pitch’.
It’s also stated that while he is not the tallest at 5ft 11in, he can still ‘hold his own in aerial duels and often uses movement to create space in the box’.
Would you rather sign a promising young striker overseas or a proven Premier League centre-forward? 🤔
Everton interested in Levante striker Etta Eyong.
One of the major parts of Barry’s game is winning aerial duels.
So that Moyes is targeting someone who also has this ability should be a worry for him, in terms of him wanting to remain the starting striker at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Athletic also say Etta Eyong is ‘a threat on the transition, able to click into top gear quickly and stretch defences with darting runs in-behind’.
We know that Everton do sometimes set up looking to play on the counter, which isn’t necessarily suited to Barry’s game. Potentially, Etta Eyong could be more suited to this style.
An important few months for Barry
Etta Eyong isn’t the only striker on the club’s radar at the moment.
It’s been claimed Liam Delap is also of interest to Everton, and seemingly there is a real desire to strengthen up top.
Thierno Barry playing for Everton.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
It would be a major shock if Everton did not target a new centre-forward. Realistically, it’s just going to be about whether the club go after someone who can play second fiddle to Barry or someone who can actually usurp him.
Given what’s been written about Etta Eyong so far, it seems like it could well be the latter.
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