Villarreal CF signs Thierno Barry for €14.5M to strengthen their attack, a position that, after Sorloth's departure, was in need of a key player.
Thierno Barry's Profile
Height: 1,93 m
Foot: Derecho
Age 21 años
Position: Front center
Nationality: Barry is a classic center forward, a pure number 9, similar to what Sørloth was. His main strength lies in his imposing physical presence and his ability to dominate the aerial game. Standing at 1.93 meters tall, he is a constant threat in the opponent’s penalty area, using his strength to win aerial duels and shield the ball from defenders.
Playing Style and Strengths
Barry is a classic center forward, a pure number 9, similar to what Sørloth was. His main strength lies in his imposing physical presence and his ability to dominate the aerial game. Standing at 1.93 meters tall, he is a constant threat in the opponent’s penalty area, using his strength to win aerial duels and shield the ball from defenders.
His physique allows him to drop deep to receive the ball with his back to goal, hold up play, and create spaces for his teammates' runs. Additionally, his reach makes him difficult to mark during positional attacks.
On top of these abilities, Barry is quick and capable of making his own runs into space or behind the defense, making him a threat both in counterattacks and in quick transitions, which are Marcelino's favorite tactics.
He is a good finisher, able to score with both feet and his head. This ability has improved over the past few months, which is why he has attracted the interest of Villarreal and other European clubs.
Last season, he scored 12 goals and provided 5 assists in 2,520 minutes, averaging a goal every 210 minutes. This year, his stats are improving, with 5 goals in the first 3 league matches, averaging a goal every 48 minutes.
Weaknesses:
Su actitud le ha jugado malas pasadas. Ha sufrido 2 sanciones disciplinares en los últimos 6 meses, (por salir de noche y no ir a entrenar) lo que le hizo perderse algún partido. Es un chico joven y esperemos que haya aprendido la lección. El Villarreal no puede permitirse otro «caso Semedo».
Defensive Play. Marcelino will need to work with Thierno on his defensive game, as @BaselInfo2 reports that the player sometimes expends too much energy pressing the opponent's ball movement without doing so in the most effective way. He is good at defending set pieces, for obvious reasons.
Inexperience. It’s difficult to know if Thierno is ready to play in one of the major European leagues. The difference in level between Swiss and Spanish football is significant, but it seems that this is a risk several clubs are willing to take.
Marcelino's style
Thierno Barry fits into Marcelino’s style, who favors tall, strong, and fast players. The intense football with quick transitions is the style of the Asturian coach, and Barry meets the necessary requirements to adapt to this system. Additionally, his profile is very similar to Sørloth’s, so the team is already accustomed to playing with a forward like Thierno Barry.
Conclusion
On paper, Barry seems like a great addition to Marcelino’s Villarreal CF. He fits the style and wouldn’t disrupt the system established with Sørloth.
He is young, has potential, and the ability to increase in value in the future, which makes the management view his arrival positively.
His current market value is around €4 million, but the figure for a potential transfer is yet to be decided. Villarreal has made an official offer, which is estimated to be between €10–12 million.
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