Crystal Palace and West Ham United will compete with Everton to sign 22-year-old French striker Thierno Barry from La Liga club Villarreal in the summer transfer window.

According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Thierno Barry is the subject of interest from Everton. However, the Toffees face stiff competition from Crystal Palace and West Ham United for the Villarreal striker. In addition, Brentford, Leeds United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers are keen on signing the Frenchman from the Spanish club in the summer transfer window.

The rapid rise of Thierno Barry in La Liga

Thierno Barry has established himself as one of the best young prospects in La Liga since joining Villarreal from FC Basel last summer. The Lyon native spent his formative years in France but has represented clubs in Belgium, Switzerland, and Spain since turning professional a few years ago.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a productive 2024/25 campaign, contributing to 23 goals in 41 outings across all competitions in appearances for FC Basel and Villarreal. Barry found the back of the net 19 times while providing four assists. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has piqued the attention of several Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace, Everton, and West Ham United.

A man in demand

Crystal Palace may dip into the market for a striker in the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding Jean-Philippe Mateta’s long-term future. While recent reports have claimed that the Frenchman is closing in on signing a new contract with the South London club, the Eagles are keeping their options open. So, Barry has emerged as a viable target for Crystal Palace.

Meanwhile, Everton’s interest in Thierno Barry is understandable. The Merseyside outfit will likely part ways with Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a free agent in the summer transfer window, with the attempts to tie him to a new contract not yielding any success. So, Everton must sign a new striker, with the Villarreal attacker an option worth considering.

As for West Ham United, the Hammers are keen on signing a striker in the summer transfer window after seeing Niclas Fullkrug and Evan Ferguson fail in the 2024/25 season. So, the East London club must sign a new centre-forward, with Barry emerging as a viable target. In addition, Brentford, Leeds United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in the Frenchman.

With the race to sign Barry from Villarreal intensifying, a summer move to the Premier League may be on the cards. So, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the 22-year-old French striker.