Everton register interest in £25m PL star

Everton have had a busy 2025 summer transfer window so far. David Moyes’ side are looking to build on the momentum they garnered at the back end of last season, with the dawn of a new era upon the club. They are, of course, set to move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium next season.

One of the players they are pursuing, and seem close to signing, is Fulham right-back Kenny Tete. BBC Sport report that the Toffees are ‘close to securing a deal’ to sign the Dutchman on a free transfer from the Cottagers, with his contract set to expire this summer.

Another player they are after is French striker Thierno Barry, with talks intensifying this week. The Toffees are also linked with a midfielder who could perfectly complement the centre-forward.

Everton’s next target after Barry

It is looking like a deal to sign Tete is on track to be completed before long, and one that would see them sign Barry might not be too far behind. They are reportedly in talks for the Villarreal star, who has a £40m release clause.

That’s according to a recent report from The i Paper. Barry is not the only young talent the newspaper has linked the Toffees with. They have reportedly ‘registered an interest’ in signing Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee.

It seems like the talented young number 10 will be made available for sale this summer, and Everton could pounce as a result. The Manchester Evening News confirmed at the end of May that he is ‘set to leave’ the Etihad Stadium, and will be available for a fee of around £25m.

Everton’s new look attack with Barry and McAtee

After a couple of successful seasons on loan at Sheffield United, McAtee was given a deserved chance in the City first team last season, but struggled for any real game time. However, when he did get the opportunity, he certainly left an impression, particularly on Pep Guardiola, who described him as a “special” talent.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts with James McAtee

The 22-year-old, who came through City’s esteemed academy, scored seven goals in his 27 appearances last season. However, he played just 936 minutes in all competitions, leaving him with just 10.4 full 90-minute games on average.

For the Blades during his two loan spells in 2022/23 and 2023/24, McAtee was a standout player. He played 75 games for the club, scoring 14 times and grabbing eight assists. Six of those goal involvements came in the Premier League, including a sublime strike against Brentford.

McAtee has been a creative force throughout his career, both in youth and professional football. Once described as being “simply too good” by scout Jacek Kulig, he could well be playing as a number 10 behind Barry at the Hill Dickinson Stadium if both deals get over the line, where Everton fans could see that creativity shine.

The Villarreal number 15, who is an international for France at U21 level, certainly impressed in the 2024/25 campaign for the Yellow Submarine. He scored 19 goals and grabbed four assists in 41 games.

Barry knows exactly where the back of the net is, and with McAtee’s ability to fashion chances, they could form a dangerous combination. Indeed, the stats from the Man City star’s three seasons at professional level show just how exciting he can be as an attacking midfielder.

According to Sofascore, the 22-year-old, who was born in Salford, averaged 1.8 key passes for the Blades in his first campaign. He maintained a similar level when they got promoted, playing 1.4 key passes in 2023/24, and chalking up 0.8 for City last term, without much involvement.

McAtee key stats by season
Stat (per 90)	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25
Goals	0.4	0.2	0.7
Assists	1.8	1.4	0.8
Big chances created	0.3	0.2	0.2
Dribbles completed	1.9	1.8	0.7
Tackles and interceptions	1.8	2	1.3
Expected goal involvements	N/A	0.24	0.38
Stats from Sofascore

Therefore, McAtee could make Barry completely unplayable if the pair are to unite on the Blue half of Merseyside next season. The Frenchman is clinical in front of goal, and with the creativity of the Man City youngster behind him, he could hit whole new heights.

The 22-year-old has not had much of an opportunity for City, but has shown exactly how good he can be when the chance to play has arisen. With regular football and a clinical striker ahead of him at Everton, he could excel at the Toffees.