Barcelona take up €9m option to complete the signing of Palmeiras defender Yerry Mina

Barcelona have completed their fifth signing of the summer after landing Colombian centre-back Yerry Mina from Brazilian side Palmeiras. Nelson Semedo, Gerard Deulofeu, Marlon Santos and Paulinho are the four players to have arrived prior to their latest acquisition.

Mina, who is currently out injured until the end of September, will complete the 2017 Brazilian league campaign before arriving in Catalonia in January.

The player's agent confirmed recently that the deal was 'practically' done and he expects his client to become a Barcelona player at the start of 2018.

According to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona had an option to buy the Colombia international for €9m (£8m, $10.5m) and decided to execute it owing to their shortage of options at centre-back at the moment.

The Spanish giants are short in central defence with Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti the manager's current first choice, with Javier Mascherano and new signing Marlon providing back-up. The Argentine's performances have dropped recently, while the new signing is an unknown quantity.

Barcelona's frailties in defence were exposed by Real Madrid in their recent 5-1 aggregate humbling by their arch rivals in the Spanish Super Cup.

Manager Ernesto Valverde, however, is said to be happy with his options at the moment, and the report claims that Mina could be loaned out for a year if Barcelona's current crop improve their performances before the start of 2018.

The Camp Nou outfit, meanwhile, are still in the market to strengthen their attack following Neymar's world-record €222m (£198m) move to Paris Saint-Germain.

The La Liga side have identified Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho as potential replacements and are in the process of negotiating with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, respectively.

Barcelona general manager Pep Segura revealed on Thursday (17 August) that moves for the duo were close, but both the clubs have since dismissed his revelations as false.

The Catalans have had their first bids rejected by Dortmund and Liverpool, but are expected to return with improved offers as they are determined to bring the duo to Camp Nou this summer.