Yerry Mina: A Shrewd and Talented Signing for high-flying Barcelona

Barcelona are showing no signs of resting on their laurels with the signing of Palmeiras defender Yerry Mina.

Already nine points clear at the top of the La Liga standings and with Philippe Coutinho now on board, the Catalans have moved to strengthen their rearguard with the capture of the 23-year-old centre-back.

Neymar’s departure last summer rocked the club but left them with cash to spare and their pursuit of Coutinho has finally paid off as the Brazil midfielder penned a deal at the Nou Camp.

Barca’s attacking options now seem more than adequate but coach Ernesto Valverde has looked at the other end of the pitch and identified Mina as the man to bolster his rearguard.

The talented stopper began his career in Colombia’s domestic football with Deportivo Pasto but soon moved to Bogota-based club Independiente Santa Fe.

He made a name for himself at Estadio El Campin, and after a couple of seasons Palmeiras came calling.

The Verdao snapped him up in the summer of 2016 and Mina made an immediate impact, scoring his first goal for the club in just his second match - a 1-1 draw against Santos.

Heartbreak followed, however as he  was stretched off in that game and did not recover from his injury in time to make the Colombia side for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

He bounced back to make a total of 49 appearances for the club, netting nine goals along the way.

Barcelona have signed many South Americans over the years and Mina joins the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Paulinho and Javier Mascherano from that continent.

Mascherano may well be on his way out of the club having been linked with a switch to China and, with Samuel Umtiti injured, it may be that Mina is thrust straight into first-team action.

At £10.45m the transfer does not represent too much of a risk for the Spanish giants but if you do enjoy a gamble, check all the online games, casinos and bookmakers available at GamblingKingz.

Club officials have moved to protect themselves by inserting an £89m release clause into his five-and-a-half-year deal and will be hoping that he can slot straight into the defence this month.

Barca have no problem scoring but the Colombia international does provide a threat from the back, with 22 goals from 197 competitive club outings, while he has been capped nine times for his national side.  

It will take a meltdown of monumental proportions for Barcelona not to walk away with the La Liga trophy in May but it is the Champions League they crave having witnessed fierce rivals Real Madrid win Europe’s elite club competition for the past two seasons.

Battle will resume in February and Valverde’s men face a two-legged tie with Premier League champions Chelsea, with the first clash in London scheduled for Tuesday, February 16.

That will give both Coutinho and Mina time to bed in and it may well be that a few more new faces arrive by the time the window slams shut at the end of January.

That is a frightening prospect for Spanish clubs and those from around Europe who have ambitions in the Champions League.

 

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