Michael Ball delivers verdict on Everton defender Yerry Mina
Michael Ball has suggested that Everton defender Yerry Mina could struggle to bag a new contract at the club because of his recurrent injury problems.
The Colombian centre-back returned in the 2-1 win against Arsenal on Monday night, but he picked up yet another injury.
While he has been labelled as a ‘monster’ at the club when fit and firing, Ball suggests his recurrent injuries are bordering on frustration for both the player and the club.
“I was pleased to see Mina back, I think we’ve missed him, but again it’s the same issue that seems to have dogged him ever since he came to the club,” wrote Ball for Liverpool Echo.
“He’s a big boy but he’s coming off with niggles and obviously it’s hugely frustrating for both the player himself and the manager.
“It could hurt him going forward in terms of contract offers because since he signed for us, how many games has he actually played?”
Big decision
After the game, Benitez said that Mina’s latest injury is a result of the player’s ongoing fitness issues.
The 27-year-old returned to action for the first time since October, and he will once again see a spell in the treatment room after sustaining a calf injury.
If we carefully decode Benitez’s speech, he fears that Mina is likely to pick up further injuries going forward and that it is “difficult to manage”.
Mina is arguably Everton’s best centre-back when he is fit and firing, but he has only started in 64 league games since joining the club from Barcelona in 2018.
In such a scenario, a manager can’t fully rely on a player who can genuinely make a difference.
The Athletic previously reported that Mina’s injury problem means he is susceptible to moving away from the club.
In case Everton take that route, Mina hardly can have any complaint.
In other Everton news, an ex-Premier League referee was horrified by this controversial moment in the win over Arsenal.
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