As per one of the latest reports by Birmingham Live, Wolverhampton Wanderers have placed a bid of £13.3million, with extras adding up to another £4.5million, to sign Barcelona’s Yerry Mina. The central defender has emerged as a target for many clubs, including Manchester United, Lyon and Everton. Thus, it wouldn’t be easy to lure him to the Molineux Stadium.
Besides, Express have reported that Lyon have submitted a bid of £26.7million to sign Mina. It would be interesting to see which club has the last laugh but there is no denying that Wolves should leave no stone unturned to make him sign on the dotted line. Mina emerged through the youth ranks of Deportivo Pasto, based in Colombia, and was eventually elevated to their senior side.
After that, he switched to fellow Colombian top-flight club Santa Fe before moving to Palmeiras. In the January transfer window of 2017, Barca gave him a massive opportunity at Camp Nou but his spell with the Spanish giants has been far from convincing. He hasn’t been able to engineer a regular spot for himself in the starting line-up of Ernesto Valverde and is nowhere near the first team picture to the surprise of many.
He garnered just 5 appearances for Barcelona after his move, registering 1 assist. Besides, he mustered 2 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 3.2 clearances and 0.6 blocks per game on an average. The 23-year-old is at a stage of his career where he needs to ply his trade on a regular basis to ensure that his developmental process doesn’t stagnate and thus, it would make sense if he leaves Barcelona this summer.
Under the tutelage of Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves won the Championship title last season and got themselves promoted to the Premier League. To find their feet amidst the animosity that the English top flight is due to offer, the newcomers have made some shrewd signings in Joao Moutinho, Willy Boly and Leo Bonatini. Espirito Santo seems to be active in the transfer window and his move for Mina certainly makes sense.
The Colombian international dazzled in national colours during the World Cup which was held in Russia. A strong centre-back with exceptional heading abilities, Mina is also an astute passer of the ball. Besides, he is a tough tackler and showcases immense work-ethic more often than not. Although he is not acclimatized with English football, he does have the ingredients to excel here and if his deal sees the light of the day, it would be a good move for all the parties involved.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored