David Moyes facing familiar Everton problem as £90m trio targeted amid Thierno Barry struggles | OneFootball

That was David Moyes’ bold statement in an interview back in 2018, when describing his Everton team during his first stint in charge.

While the Toffees’ are not yet at the level of Moyes’ side that consistently finished in and around the top six, the Scottish coach faces a similar problem ahead of the summer – he needs a top-quality striker.

Everton’s push for European qualification has taken an almighty hit, with back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and West Ham seeing them drop to 11th in the Premier League table.

Fan favourite Beto has notched five goals in his last six games, proving his value to Everton, but when he was out with a concussion for the clash vs the Hammers, last summer’s £27million signing, Thierno Barry, failed to take his chance.

When asked what Barry must do to prove himself ahead of the loss to West Ham, Moyes said: “He can score, can’t he? Score and play well, be a team player. If you do that, then we don’t ask for much more.”

You could argue he was unlucky not to score a header from close range due to a goal-line clearance from Tomas Soucek, but he hasn’t netted since February, and Beto is ahead of him in the pecking order.

In fact, Barry’s performances have dipped significantly since a purple patch back in January.

Everton are still hopeful the 23-year-old will find his feet in the Premier League, but as I reported for TEAMtalk, they are actively looking to bring in a new forward this summer.

Well-placed sources confirm that Chelsea’s Liam Delap, Bologna’s Santiago Castro and AZ Alkmaar’s Troy Parrott are amongst Everton’s targets.

Everton striker targets confirmed

Everton pushed hard to sign Delap from Ipswich last summer, and were willing to pay his £30million release clause and pay him big wages.

Chelsea ultimately beat Everton and other sides to his signature, but he has largely failed to impress at Stamford Bridge, despite his previous success with the Tractor Boys.

Delap, 23, has started just 11 Premier League games this term and has notched a single goal, and Chelsea appear willing to cash in on him should they bring in a replacement.

Everton remain admirers of Delap and believe his style would be a good fit. With his Chelsea future increasingly in doubt, they could make another attempt to sign him this summer.

Bologna forward Castro, 23, meanwhile, has notched 11 goals across all competitions this season.

He is valued at around €40million (£34.6m / $46.3m), and Everton have been scouting him for several months, so he’s another to watch.

Finally, I understand that AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott continues to be tracked closely by Everton.

The 24-year-old, who left Tottenham in summer 2024, has notched a very impressive 50 goals in 94 appearances for the Dutch side.

Parrott has become a fan favourite at Alkmaar and played a crucial role in them winning the KNVB Cup this season.

He has also been excellent on the international scene with the Republic of Ireland, where he’s played alongside Everton stars Seamus Coleman and Jake O’Brien, who could help convince him to move tot he Blue half of Merseyside. Reports suggest that £25million could be enough to get him this summer.

As Everton look to build on a largely positive first full season under Moyes again, the manager knows better than anyone that a clinical striker can change everything.