Barcelona target Yerry Mina close to return from injury amid talk of potential January move

Barcelona target Yerry Mina is said to be close to returning to action from a foot injury which has kept him on the sidelines for the last seven weeks.

Mundo Deportivo claim that Ernesto Valverde's side are considering bringing forward his proposed move from Palmeiras to January with the Colombian now ready to prove his fitness before the opening of the winter transfer window.

Barcelona have been linked with the 23-year-old centre-back for some time after they secured first refusal to sign him in a deal worth around €9m (£7.95m, $10.6m)

In June, Mina's agent confirmed that his client will join Barcelona in 2018 but there have been doubts over whether the Catalans will complete the transfer in January or in the summer.

"Yes, his arrival is scheduled for 2018," Felipe Russo said. "For the moment he'll stay in Brazil, then he will go to La Liga. Everything is practically closed and his dream has always been to be a Barcelona player."

"Why would this breakdown, when it's a move that ensures the player's best interests?" Russo asked. "He'll stay with Palmeiras for another season as he wants to be in top shape going into the 2018 World Cup. But there are zero possibilities that things will change."

The confusion about the date of his transfer increased after Mina broke his foot during a Copa Libertadores encounter between Palmeiras and Barcelona de Guayaquil on 10 August.

Yet, it was said that Barcelona wanted to assess how the young centre-back recovers from the injury before making a final decision.

And it looks like Mina will have plenty of time to prove his fitness with Colombia international made having returned to training three months before the opening of the January transfer window.

Mundo Deportivo say that Mina will use a special boot with the hope of returning to action soon and help his side in the final part of the Brasileirao, with Pameiras currently in fourth place.

Meanwhile, the Spanish publication insist that Barcelona could then bring forward plans to sign him in January after current fourth-choice centre-back Thomas Vermalen was deemed surplus to requirements by Valverde.

The Belgium international is yet to play a single minute in the opening part of the season after he returned to the Nou Camp in the summer following a disappointing loan spell at AS Roma.

Valverde also has Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Javier Mascherano to cover the position but in the summer it was said that he demanded club officias add an extra option in the form of Íñigo Martínez from Real Sociedad.

However, Barcelona decided against signing the Spanish international and could thus go into the market in January to bolster the position.