Everton transfer news: Sky Sports pundit reacts to ‘important’ Yerry Mina exit after Conor Coady in ‘what’s the point?’ verdict
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Kevin Campbell understands why Everton are letting Yerry Mina leave at the end of his contract because with him injured so frequently “what’s the point?”
The Colombian centre-back is set to follow Conor Coady to the Goodison Park exit, with the Englishman’s return to Wolves confirmed last week (1 June), and Mina will leave on a free on 30 June when his deal ends [BBC Sport, 3 June] after both played important roles at the end of the relegation escape.
But while Campbell accepts that the two defenders did their bit in helping the Toffees stay in the Premier League he expects Sean Dyche to have plans for the position, and when Mina has only managed 99 games for Everton in five years amid extensive injury issues he can’t be relied upon to be part of it.
The Sky Sports pundit exclusively told Goodison News: “Yeah he played an important role at the end but again, the injury issues Yerry Mina had goes to show, what’s the point if you haven’t got him for 20 games a season? You’re struggling.
“So I think Sean Dyche is going to revamp that centre-half spot.
“You look at Tarkowski, he played every minute of every game, he was the only one.
“And he came on a free, but money was spent on other players and they were injured and stuff like that so it’s difficult.
“But Sean Dyche is going to want players who can form those combinations week in week out.
“If Tarkowski’s got a partner, he’s there week in week out, those two are my chosen starters. He has to find the right combination.”
A Tarkowski and Mina partnership would have Dyche written all over it but while one was ever-present this season the other saw just seven Premier League outings.
For a time this season the Everton defence was one of the meanest in the league, but that record fell away and a settled back line is now required to avoid further problems next term.
What Dyche wants to do, and crucially what he is able to do, will become clear over the summer but at least two notable centre-backs are on the way out so it seems highly likely the manager will be targeting a new man at the position in the transfer market.