Yerry Mina's Agent Reveals No Contact from Barcelona Amid January Rumours
The agent for Palmeiras defender Yerry Mina has said his client has not been in contact with Barcelona despite an agreement being struck for the player months ago.
Speaking to COPE (h/t EFE, via Marca) Jair Mina has encouraged Barca to make a decision on the player and has revealed there are other clubs interested in bringing him in.
"To date, there's not been any further contact with Barcelona," he said. "The situation hasn't been defined and therefore he is a Palmeiras player, there is no indication to the contrary. ... I've spoken with Borussia Dortmund and they would be an interesting option. They've not made an official proposal, but the boy would go there to play without a problem."
As noted in the report, Barcelona have a purchase option on Mina for the summer, although there have been suggestions a deal may be moved up to January with Javier Mascherano linked with a mid-season exit.
Indeed, it's suggested the defender has been subject to an offer from a club from the Chinese Super League worth around €5 million (£4.39 million).
Barcelona have enjoyed a brilliant start to the 2017-18 campaign, although the team does appear a little light on defensive options. As noted by Rik Sharma of Sport, star man Samuel Umtiti is sidelined with a hamstring injury, whereas Gerard Pique hasn't been at his best:
With Mascherano out of favour, Thomas Vermaelen has been drafted into the side lately. While he's performed well, the Belgian isn't a long-term solution in the position.
All things considered, getting Mina in in January may represent a smart move for the Blaugrana. The 23-year-old has excelled in his two years at Palmeiras and has blossomed into an excellent centre-back; he's dominant in the air, calm on the ball and would give Barcelona an assured presence in this portion of the pitch.
After all, relying on Vermaelen to help Barcelona through a busy part of the campaign will be a major gamble. As noted by journalist Diana Kristinne, the Belgium international has endured a torrid spell of injury issues in his time as a Barca player:
The difficulty when assessing Mina's situation is weighing the short-term requirements against his potential long-term development.
That's because when Umtiti is fit he'll be quickly into the team again alongside Pique. Additionally, Vermaelen has shown enough to suggest he's a fine backup, fitness permitting. Mina would potentially drop to fourth in the pecking order quickly and minutes, as a result, would be tough to come by.
If he were to stay at Palmeiras until the summer, he'd continue playing and developing, and Barcelona would have a more refined footballer on their hands eventually. However, based on his agent's comments, there's a desire for a quick decision to be made over his future.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
