Earlier this month, Villarreal sold Alexander Sorloth to Atletico Madrid for a fee in region of €35m. They’ve managed to sign Ayoze Perez for just €4m using those funds, although the club’s idea is still for another attacker to be signed as more of a replacement for the Norwegian marksman.
Borja Mayoral was considered until concerns were raised about his recent knee injury, while there has also been links to Youssoufa Moukoko and David Datro Fofana. Villarreal officials have now settled on Thierno Barry as their primary target, and negotiations are already underway with FC Basel, as revealed by Florian Plettenburg.
🚨🟡 Excl | FC Villarreal now pushing to sign Thierno Barry ✔️
Concrete negotiations with FC Basel about a permanent deal are ongoing!
Villarreal, currently the top favorite to sign the 21 y/o striker. But Bournemouth, also there with a concrete offer.
Monaco, Freiburg and… pic.twitter.com/x40nAeE9hG
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) August 16, 2024
AFC Bournemouth have also presented an offer for Barry, but it is Villarreal that currently lead the race for his signature. The 21-year-old has five goals in three Super League matches so far this season, having scored 12 during the previous campaign.
A younger signing certainly makes sense for Villarreal, and Barry would be the latest under-23 player to join Marcelino Garcia Toral’s squad. If they can get this one over the line, it’d be a very shrewd move.
