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Everton spent $36 million (£27 million) to sign the French youth international Thierno Barry from Villarreal this summer, but he is still adjusting to life in English soccer.
The 23-year-old is yet to score or assist in 13 appearances for his new club and hasn't yet registered a shot on target in over six hours of Premier League football. But Barry says he is trying to learn from Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike and Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade.
"We arrived at the same time and I like to see how they are adapting, the runs they are making," the Everton forward told The Athletic.
"I've played with some great forwards — Dieumerci Mbokani at Beveren, Albian Ajeti at Basel and Gerard Moreno and Ayoze Perez at Villarreal. I was the youngest of the three at Villarreal, but I played the most minutes.
"People say I’m in competition now with Beto, but I don’t see it like that. I’m in competition with myself, and if I prevail personally, then I always have confidence I could do the job.
"That’s why I got a tattoo during my time at Basel — ‘Me against me’. Whenever I have a difficult moment now, I look at that."
Barry scored 19 times and assisted four goals last season across 41 appearances in the Swiss Super League with Basel and in the Spanish top-flight with Villarreal.
Ekitike and Woltemade have both made strong starts in the Premier League since they came in. The Liverpool ace has hit the ground running while Newcastle's Alexander Isak replacement has four goals in eight appearances so far.
"The whole Newcastle package had potential for tension, especially since I arrived on the last day," Woltemade admitted to BILD this week.
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"Then there was the transfer fee. The expectations placed on me, because Newcastle's top striker, Alexander Isak, had left.
"The start to the season wasn’t ideal. There was definitely pressure. I was very glad when it subsided.
"I quickly realized in Newcastle that it was a good fit not only on a footballing level, but also on a personal one."
Liverpool.com says: It is important to remember with any young player that has just arrived in the country that it can take time to adapt. The same can be said for Florian Wirtz, despite the price tag, who is younger even than Barry.
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