Everton are open to exploring the striker market during the summer transfer window, even with Beto and Thierno Barry improving their goal tallies. The pair have scored 17 Premier League goals this season.
Their combined return is approaching what would have been acceptable at the start of the campaign, particularly after both endured tough starts. Recent form has increased the belief the club may have something it can work with going forward, but concerns still remain over consistency and the number of big opportunities missed at key moments.
Beto and Barry’s Season So Far
The hope heading into the season had been that Beto could rekindle the form that saw him lead Everton to safety at the start of David Moyes’ second reign, providing Barry with the freedom to adapt to the Premier League after his £27m move from Villarreal.
Yet one goal in the opening 19 league games for the Guinea-Bissau international simultaneously pushed Moyes into experimenting with Barry at a time when the need for goals heightened the pressure on him.
Both forwards have since had good moments. Barry’s highlights include his goals in home and away wins against Nottingham Forest, at Aston Villa and his recent brace against Manchester City, and Beto reviving his season to hit a rich vein of form kickstarted by his 98th-minute equaliser at Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of January.
The pair have improved but Barry’s debut season in Royal Blue was undermined by comments directed towards a section of Blues supporters after the away defeat to Arsenal – posts that led to him being booed at some games.
Offering his view on their contribution this season, Moyes said ahead of the defeat by Sunderland: “I think both of them together have done quite well in the end. I think they’ve taken a bit of time to settle. Both of them, Beto didn’t start the first half of the season well and we had a new player in Barry who was taking time to get going as well. But maybe now the two of them have done decent.”
Summer Transfer Considerations
The club is open to exploring the striker market in the summer, but there remains an acceptance that proven forwards are expensive and in demand. Should an affordable option emerge in the window they would consider it.
The club is likely to follow Liam Delap’s situation after his difficult first season at Chelsea. Everton pursued the 23-year-old last summer and believed they came close to bringing him to Merseyside from Ipswich Town. One goal in 26 league appearances has been an underwhelming start to his career at Stamford Bridge and there will be interest from the Blues if Xabi Alonso looks to move towards other options as he assesses the squad he has inherited in west London.
- Everton are open to exploring the striker market.
- They will consider affordable options.
- Liam Delap’s situation at Chelsea is of interest.
Ivan Toney has, at times, been on the club’s radar in the past 18 months but the Al-Ahli forward’s recent appearance in Liverpool is not thought to have had any link with the Blues.
Everton must engage with Chelsea this summer whether or not Del