Everton’s start to the 2024/25 Premier League season has been anything but dull.
David Moye’s side may have lost their opener 1-0 at a raucous Elland Road, but the response was emphatic.
The Toffees christened their new Hill Dickinson Stadium with a 2-0 win over Brighton, followed by a breathless 3-2 victory at Wolves.
The ride hasn’t been smooth every week – a cagey 0-0 with Aston Villa showed they are still bedding in their summer signings, and the Merseyside derby ended in a narrow 2-1 defeat.
Yet, there is a newfound sharpness in attack.
Everton’s front four of Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye, and Beto have breathed life into Moyes’ forward line, offering pace, technical quality, and variety of movement.
Sitting 10th in the table, Everton already look like a far more threatening side going forward compared to last season.
Their next test comes against struggling West Ham, where the Toffees will be favourites to build further momentum.
Amid this early-season optimism, however, one player is quietly developing in the background.
A 6ft 5in striker who may yet become the jewel of this Everton project.
Thierno Barry finding his feet at Everton
When Everton paid £27.6m to bring Thierno Barry from Villarreal, they knew they weren’t buying the finished article.
At just 22, the French U21 international represents an investment in the future – a striker whose raw attributes suggest a ceiling as high as some of Europe’s elite forwards.
Barry arrives in England off the back of a promising season in La Liga, scoring 11 goals from an xG of 11.7 while adding four assists.
What makes him stand out is not just his finishing, but his ability to impose himself physically and stretch defences.
Ranking in the 87th percentile for aerial duels won (3.84 per 90), Barry has the profile of a classic penalty-box predator yet also shows surprising agility with strong progressive carries and take-ons.
Standing taller than most centre-backs, Barry has been compared to Dusan Vlahović and Ollie Watkins for his blend of physicality and dynamism, as noted by FBref.
He thrives in attacking the six-yard box but is equally capable of pulling wide to create space for teammates.
So far, Moyes has been cautious with his integration. Barry has featured in five league matches, totalling 142 minutes, with flashes of potential rather than complete performances.
The Everton manager has stressed patience, saying the striker will require a period of adjustment to adapt to the physicality and pace of the Premier League.
It is a smart approach. Everton have the luxury of easing Barry in thanks to the immediate impact of their new frontline.
But make no mistake, the long-term plan is to see him leading the line. Hopefully, he does not go the same way as those before him…
Why Thierno Barry can learn from Moise Kean
For Everton fans, Barry’s situation may feel eerily familiar.
In 2019, the club signed another young striker in the form of Moise Kean.
Like Barry, Kean arrived with high expectations, touted as a generational talent who could transform the club’s attack.
But unlike Barry, he was thrust into the spotlight without the right platform, and his time at Goodison never truly took off.
Kean made 39 appearances for Everton, scoring four goals and registering two assists, before a series of loan moves eventually led him back to Juventus and later Fiorentina.
It was in Serie A where his career took off.
Last season with Fiorentina, Kean netted 19 goals in 32 appearances, finishing second in the league’s scoring charts behind Mateo Retegui.
Matches Played
31
Goals
19
Assists
3
Progressive Carries
42
Progressive Passes
26
Now valued at €50m (£45m), as per Transfermarkt, Kean has become the striker many thought he could be, while drawing statistical comparisons with Erling Haaland for his explosive pace, direct style, and ruthless finishing.
Indeed, FBref notes that the most similar striker to him in Europe’s top five leagues is the Manchester City hitman. Former teammate Weston McKennie went as far as to describe him as a “beast.”
His numbers underline the transformation: ranking in the 89th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.58), the 87th percentile for total shots (3.39), and the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons (1.46).
Everton undoubtedly let a gem slip through their fingers.
Yet in Barry, they have a second chance.
The lesson from Kean’s time on Merseyside is clear: patience and the right environment are crucial.
Barry cannot be burdened with expectation too soon, but if nurtured properly, he has the potential to blossom into one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards.
However, this time in blue.