Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

A Premier League move at the age of 22 will cement Barry's rapid rise in European football in recent seasons.

Only three years ago, he completed his first season of senior football in France's fifth tier before moving to Belgian second-tier side Beveren in July 2022.

Twenty goals in 28 starts were enough to earn a move to Basel a year later and he subsequently finished as the club's top scorer on 12 goals in his first campaign of top-flight football.

A flurry of eight goals in the first four matches of 2024-25 convinced Villareal to pay €15m (£13m) for his services in August.

The 6ft 5in striker was an instant success, scoring 11 goals to help the Yellow Submarine finish fifth with their highest points tally in 17 years and qualify for the Champions League.

Barry's height makes him a huge threat in the air and he ranked second of all forwards in Europe's major leagues (and top of anyone in La Liga) for aerial duel success in 2024-25, winning 66.7% of his 153 challenges (minimum 100 aerial duels).

There are images doing the rounds on social media - unverified I might add - that appear to show Thierno Barry wearing an Everton shirt inside the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Could an official announcement be imminent?

Right, Gooners - that's your lot for now but let us know on socials what you think about the club's transfer plans.

We'll be switching our attention to Everton's new striker next as well as proposed moves for Anthony Elanga and Bryan Mbeumo.

Madueke has made the vast majority of his appearances for the Blues on the right, with 88% of his Premier League minutes coming on that flank since joining in January 2023.

His signing would, therefore, ease the burden on Bukayo Saka, who has perhaps been overworked in recent seasons.

Saka started 108 of 114 league matches from 2021-22 to 2023-24 but missed three months of the most recent campaign with a hamstring injury. Like Saka, when Madueke features on the right wing, he looks to cut inside and shoot with his favoured left foot.

However, Madueke actually ended 2024-25 playing on the left for Chelsea, with head coach Enzo Maresca altering his approach during the run-in.

The former PSV Eindhoven man started four of the Blues' final five Premier League matches on that flank, plus the Conference League final. He also began on the left in England's win against Andorra in June, when he was one of the Three Lions' better performers, setting up Harry Kane's winner.

Image source, Opta

With Martin Zubimendi through the door and deals for Christian Norgaard and Viktor Gyokeres progressing, it feels like Arsenal may only have room for one addition in wide areas this summer.

Though very different players, it could come down to a choice of whether to pursue Eberechi Eze or Noni Madueke.

Eze, at 27, is the more experienced of the duo but he's likely to be far more expensive, too, with a £68m release clause written into his Crystal Palace contract.

The Palace wide man scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 34 Premier League appearances last season as the Eagles ended the season by winning the FA Cup.

Madueke scored fewer goals (seven) and laid on fewer assists (four) but the 23-year-old is younger and would likely command a lower fee.

However, while Eze can play from the left or in an attacking midfield position, Madueke predominantly operates from the right. Where a certain Bukayo Saka plays.

As BBC Sport revealed to you earlier this week, Arsenal have already agreed personal terms with Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

The 23-year-old is said to be open to making the switch across London but is not pushing to leave Stamford Bridge at this stage. There have been no club-to-club talks as yet.

The England winger, a £35m signing from PSV Eindhoven in 2023, scored seven goals and laid on four assists for Chelsea in 32 Premier League appearances last season.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal are definitely casting a wide net when it comes to signing a wide playmaker this summer.

Our senior football reporter Sami Mokbel has reported that Arsenal are interested in Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, with the belief he could be a game-changing addition if he was able to adapt to the physicality of English football.

However, there has been no public confirmation that Rodrygo is open to leaving Madrid, though it has been suggested to BBC Sport by a well-placed source that the Spanish side would listen to offers.

If the 24-year-old was available, he would cost at least £70m.

Arsenal are also considering Newcastle's Anthony Gordon who they have been monitoring since last summer.

But it would take a huge fee for Newcastle to even consider selling the 24-year-old, given his importance to the team and the fact they are looking to build their squad as they return to the Champions League.

Arsenal certainly haven't put all of their eggs in Eberechi Eze's basket, though...

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport

Eberechi Eze could provide the creative spark which Arsenal lacked at times last season, especially without the injured Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

As well as his ability in tight spaces, Eze ranked highly for most combined shots and chances created in the 2024-25 Premier League, with only a handful of exalted players faring better.

Image source, BBC Sport

He is known to be somewhat ambitious with his shooting; only four players have had more goal attempts from outside the penalty area in the Premier League than Eze’s tally of 165 since he joined Crystal Palace.

Mind you, only three players have scored more than his 11 top-flight goals from outside the box during that time – and Eze’s sweetly-struck long-range efforts against Fulham and Aston Villa put Palace en route to FA Cup glory in May.

It's a good point, Adam and one I think many Arsenal fans will be keeping an eye on this summer.

Ethan Nwaneri has one year left on his deal and the youngster will want to see a clear pathway into the first team before committing to a new contract.

Gooners, are you worried that new signings could block Nwaneri's progress? Or, even worse, convince him to look elsewhere?

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport

Eberechi Eze’s £68m release clause hasn’t deterred Arsenal from reportedly exploring a deal for the Crystal Palace playmaker.

The south Londoner has an Arsenal past, having played for the club from the age of eight until he was released at 13. “I remember crying in my room for a solid week,” he said in 2020 of that rejection.

Eze joined Palace from QPR five years ago for an initial £16m and has improved his goal and assists output in each of the past three seasons. That has been aided by his switch from the left wing to more central areas as one of two attacking midfielders in a 3-4-2-1 formation under Olive Glasner:

Image source, BBC Sport

That's the question many Gooners will be asking this morning.

There's no doubting the England winger's ability but is he the right fit for the Emirates?

Image source, Getty Images

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

Feel free to send us your thoughts - especially Crystal Palace and Arsenal fans - on which player the Gunners could use to sweeten any proposed deal for Eberechi Eze.

While we are talking Arsenal, let's delve deeper into their transfer plans.

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

Hang on Graham, we are are supposed to be asking the questions here.

It is a very good question though.

You would imagine that Ethan Nwaneri is very much in Mikel Arteta's plans for next season after the 18-year-old scored nine goals in what was a breakout campaign in 2024-25.

Would the Spaniard want to oversee his development at Emirates Stadium or could a loan move to Palace, and potentially more European experience, be just what he needs to make the next step?

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo is growing impatient over the lack of progress in his protracted move to Manchester United.

That's the claim from the Evening Standard, external, who say the Cameroon international is eager to move to Old Trafford as soon as possible.

United have had two bids rejected for the 25-year-old, who has made it clear he wants to move to the 'Theatre of Dreams'.

However, the Bees are holding firm for a fee of around £65m.

Image source, Getty Images

One popular theory mooted on Tuesday is that Brentford will use Newcastle's £55m offer for Anthony Elanga, agreed with Nottingham Forest, as a yardstick to frame their valuation of Bryan Mbeumo.

So, if Elanga is worth £55m, then how much should the Bees ask for Mbeumo?

Get in touch via WhatsApp or text with your thoughts.

Image source, Getty Images

The Mirror , externalare reporting that Brentford are likely to demand £65m for their striker Bryan Mbeumo, with Manchester United his most likely destination.

It was reported by BBC Journalist Sami Mokbel two weeks ago that the London club rejected an improved bid worth £62.5m from the Reds, after previously rejecting an initial offer worth up to £55m.

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

So where should we be looking for today's big moves?

It certainly looks as if Thierno Barry is on his way to Everton. We will take a look at the 22-year-old France striker in more detail shortly.

Arsenal also seem to be stepping up their recruitment plans, with another creative midfielder seemingly high on their list of priorities, along with the long-awaited striker.

We will also have updates on two of the promoted clubs, running the rule on Leeds' latest signing and checking out the influx of big-money deals being completed by Sunderland. Who could be next for the Black Cats?

And no day of transfer speculation would be compete without dropping in at Old Trafford, which is where we are heading first...