Everton could offload Yerry Mina next summer
Everton could look to offload Yerry Mina in the summer transfer window, according to reports from The Athletic.
The 27-year-old is a colossal figure for the Merseyside club at the back, but his recurrent injury problems are a huge concern for Rafael Benitez.
It is his injury record that made him susceptible to a sale over the summer, and The Athletic claim that the Toffees are “likely to do so again” at the end of this season unless his record improves.
Mina missed the last two games for Everton, and the Colombian remains a doubt for the Toffees’ upcoming fixture against Tottenham Hotspur as well.
Conundrum
The situation of Mina is a conundrum for Rafael Benitez.
There is now a huge reliance on Mina, and the numbers reflect that. With him in the side, Everton have a win percentage of over 56%, while without him it drops down to just 22%.
Such dependence on an injury-prone player surely is not a healthy sign for a club.
That’s one aspect. There’s another side of Mina’s game that has been highlighted by Benitez himself.
Mina is a lively character on the pitch. He loves to trash-talk through matches, but Benitez feels that for a player of his calibre playing with such high emotions stops him from reaching the next level.
At the same time, Mina has got focus, consistency and natural potency to win the ball. Put it simply, he is a dominant centre-back. Back in 2018, he earned praise from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who branded him as a “brilliant” player.
It’s a conundrum. He plays with personality. That brings the best out of him. However, if his injury record persists, Benitez will be forced to make a decision on the Colombian’s future in the summer.
In other Everton news, a Toffees ace is set to be assessed ahead of the Tottenham clash after a major Monday blow.