Everton are apparently considering a move for Yerry Mina, according to the latest report from LiverpoolEcho. The Barcelona defender has impressed the onlookers of the 2018 FIFA World Cup with some great performances and could attract a lot of interest this summer.
Even though Colombia bowed out of the competition against England in the last 16, Mina scored the all-important equalizer in the final embers of the match to take the game into extra time. The Barcelona youngster has been a key component in Colombia’s backline alongside Tottenham Hotspur star Davinson Sanchez. Mina has attracted a lot of attention with his goal-scoring tally as he netted three goals in three matches.
However, his impressive performances in the ongoing World Cup has only shadowed his rather disappointing campaign with FC Barcelona this past season. Since joining the club from Palmeiras earlier this year, Mina has struggled to force his way into the Barcelona first team, often being overlooked in place of the more prominent defensive players in Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti.
The 23-year-old featured in only five games for Barca last season and therefore, a move out of Camp Nou could soon be on the horizon. In fact, sources claim that Barcelona are ready to offload Yerry Mina with Sevilla’s Clement Lenglet already being lined up as a replacement. The Catalan giants have also had a fair share of trouble registering non-EU players due to regulations and Mina’s departure could ease up that situation especially with the pending arrival of Gremio midfielder Arthur.
This could be a huge boost for Everton, who have been the latest entrants in a long list of potential suitors for Yerry Mina this summer. Following the departure of Sam Allardyce, newly appointed manager Marco Silva has been keen to undergo a squad overhaul this summer and the addition of the Colombian international could be a productive move as far as the Toffees are concerned.
Even though last summer signing Michael Keane has been an ever-present figure in the Everton backline, his defensive partner Ashley Williams is nearing the end of his career along with veteran defender Phil Jagielka. Thus the addition of Yerry Mina is imperative, especially with the Toffees having Mason Holgate as their only reliable option in central defence.
However, it’s very unlikely that Everton will be able to sign Mina on a permanent basis with the player having a huge €100m release clause embedded in his five-year contract with Barcelona. Thus a loan deal is the likeliest possibility and something Everton should fight all the way for.
