Report: Barcelona Nears €12M Deal for Colombian Center Back Yerry Mina
Barcelona are reportedly just 'one step away' from completing the January signing of Colombian center back Yerry Mina, with a meeting between the player and Brazilian club Palmeiras expected to take place on Friday.
Barcelona already have an option to sign Mina in summer for a fixed price of €9m, but the anticipated departure of Javier Mascherano to China combined with Samuel Umtiti's injury absence has led to efforts to accelerate the process.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Mina could arrive at Barcelona as early as Monday of next week (January 8) if an agreement with Palmeiras can be reached.
Tipping Mina to bid farwewell to his teammates in Brazil ahead of meeting with club officials, Mundo Deportivo expects a contract until 2022 to be signed at Camp Nou.
It is believed that Barcelona are willing to up the price and pay €10m plus a further €2m in add-ons to seal a deal for Mina now, rather than waiting until summer to pay €9m.
The 23-year-old defender has recently been on holiday after the 2017 Brazilian season ended.
Palmeiras sporting director Alexandre Mattos has not ruled out a January deal, but has equally declared that a deal will only be struck on his club's terms.
"It's true that Barcelona came for Mina with another offer, but also that Palmeiras wants Mina to stay here," Mattos is quoted as saying.
"We are going to wait for him to arrive back in Sao Paulo and we will talk there. If Palmeiras is satisfied with a situation that will see him leave before [summer], he will go; otherwise, he will stay with us," the club official added.
