Everton sign Thierno Barry in biggest buy under David Moyes | OneFootball

Everton have made their biggest buy under David Moyes by bringing in striker Thierno Barry from Villarreal for £27m.

The France Under-21 international has signed a four-year deal and becomes Everton’s second signing of the summer, after Charly Alcaraz, with the largest fee they have paid since Amadou Onana’s arrival in 2022.

Barry comes in as a replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who left on a free transfer, while with the end of Armando Broja’s loan spell, Everton had lost two strikers since the end of last season.

The 22-year-old scored 11 goals in LaLiga to help Villarreal qualify for the Champions League and was part of the France Under-21 team who reached the semi-finals of the summer’s European Championships.

Barry, a former Basel forward, said he wanted to follow in the footsteps of past Everton forwards like Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku and will realise a dream by playing in the Premier League

"It's very exciting to be here,” he said. “I just can't wait to start and I hope to start very quickly. I had good conversations with the manager. He told me I have the quality to play in the Premier League. He wants to do good work with me. He wants to help me on my road and I felt the sincerity with him so that's why I chose to come here as well.

"For me, it is a dream to play in the Premier League. I think I proved in my career so far that I can adapt. For example, last season I went to LaLiga, which is a top league, and I think I had a good season for my first season. I'm not scared to play here and do the same.

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Thierno Barry impressed at Villarreal last season (Getty Images)

"Everton is a big club in the Premier League. They have a good history and good players have played here, like Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku. When I was young I liked to watch these players, now I want to do like these players who have gone before.”

Barry is looking forward to playing in front of the Everton supporters at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

He added: "I think the fans here are, like, crazy people... I like this!" he added. "I like to score for these people. I just want to play here, score and enjoy it with the fans. The stadium is very big, it's an amazing stadium, and I'm looking forward to seeing the fans in here. When the manager came last season, I think he changed a little bit the team and I feel this and the new stadium, I think the club comes with a new ambition, so I want to play my part in that."

Moyes, who has tied down Jarrad Branthwaite, Seamus Coleman, Michael Keane and Idrissa Gana Gueye to new deals, said he wants more new signings.

"We are delighted to have brought Thierno to the club,” he stated. “We see lots of potential and we are hoping for good things from him. I'm hoping to make more additions in the coming weeks."