Everton’s growing interest in Christian Kofane raises an obvious question: what happens to the two strikers already on the books?
Thierno Barry and Beto shared the number nine role for most of 2025-26, with David Moyes rotating between them rather than settling on a first choice. Neither delivered enough goals to end the conversation about further investment up front, and Everton’s move for Kofane suggests the club agree.
Barry’s difficult first season
Barry arrived from Villarreal last summer for an initial £27.5m, rising to around £35m with add-ons, after scoring 11 goals in La Liga the previous season. His first campaign in England did not go to plan. He finished with eight Premier League goals from 1,915 minutes, and went 16 appearances without scoring before his first goal arrived against Nottingham Forest in December.
He has spoken openly about the difficulty of adapting to English football, and was also the target of online abuse during a difficult run of form and some of his entourage getting involved with some Evertonians at Arsenal.
There were signs of improvement as the season went on, including a two-goal performance off the bench against Manchester City in May.
At 23, Barry remains a long-term project rather than the finished article. Everton’s decision-makers have previously been clear that any departure would only be sanctioned once the club’s initial outlay is recovered, a position that makes an exit this summer unlikely regardless of Kofane’s arrival.
Beto’s familiar pattern
Beto’s season followed a familiar shape. Nine goals in total, eight in the league, arrived in fits and starts, with a long gap between August and January before form picked up again with goals against Newcastle, Brentford and a strong finish at Crystal Palace. He completed only two matches all season, hampered at times by the lack of service from wide areas.
At 28, Beto is a popular figure with supporters for his work rate and physical presence, but his end product has never matched the level required of a regular starter for a side pushing for European football. Both strikers largely split time across the campaign, with neither establishing themselves as the clear first choice.
What Kofane would add
Kofane represents a different profile entirely. At 19, he arrives with far less first-team experience than either Barry or Beto had when they joined Everton, but his output in a breakthrough Bundesliga season, five goals and four assists in 29 appearances despite starting only 12, has been enough to attract Arsenal, Newcastle United and Barcelona as well as Everton.
Signing Kofane would not immediately solve Everton’s finishing problem. He is unlikely to walk straight into regular Premier League starts given his age and lack of experience at this level. But it would give Moyes a third option with a different trajectory to Barry and Beto, someone Everton could develop over several seasons rather than expect to deliver instantly.
The likely outcome
Barring a departure neither club nor player has signalled, Barry and Beto both look set to remain part of Everton’s squad into next season regardless of what happens with Kofane.
Their financial situations, an outlay to recover on Barry and a squad role Beto has earned through consistency of effort if not output, make outright sales unlikely in the short term.
What Kofane’s pursuit does confirm is that Everton do not consider their current options settled.
Two strikers who combined for 17 Premier League goals last season represent a level Moyes is evidently looking to improve upon, even if the solution is more likely to be additive than a straight swap.
