Juventus ‘working’ on surprise last-minute loan deal for highly-criticised Everton star

Everton's James Garner, Vitaliy Mykolenko and Beto. (Reuters/Matthew Childs)

Juventus are reportedly exploring a late move in the January window that could see one of Everton’s most heavily scrutinised forwards head to Serie A.

While Thierno Barry has begun to justify his place as Everton’s leading striker — scoring again on Monday night to rescue a 1-1 draw against Leeds United — the spotlight has shifted elsewhere.

Barry’s recent upturn in form, with four goals in his last five Premier League outings after a painfully slow start, has reshaped the pecking order at Goodison Park.

That change could spell trouble for another attacking option who has struggled to win over supporters this season.

Juventus have identified Everton forward Beto as a potential late solution to their attacking issues, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Italian giants have been forced to reassess their options after negotiations for Youssef En-Nesyri broke down, with Juve unwilling to move away from a loan structure that includes an option to buy. That same framework has now been proposed for Beto.

Intermediaries are said to be actively sounding out the possibility of a deal, although Juventus are not yet committed to making him their sole target. Everton, for their part, are believed to value the striker at around €20m.

Beto has endured a frustrating spell on Merseyside, managing just three goals in 25 appearances across all competitions and failing to establish himself as a consistent starter. Once labelled a “monster” forward for his physical profile, the former Udinese striker has struggled to translate that reputation into regular end product in England.

Whether the 27-year-old would be open to a short-term switch to Turin remains unclear, but Juventus’ interest suggests they see something salvageable in his game.

With Barry now delivering and Everton fighting to stabilise their season, allowing Beto to leave — even temporarily — could make sense for all parties.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.

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